:mm. 


LIBRARY 

OF  THE 

Theological   Seminary, 

BX  9428  . B56  186T~v.2 
Bethune,  George  Washington, 

'  1805-1862. 

.Expository  lectures  on  the 
Heidelbera  catechism  

Book, 


L?^  V.  . . 


Digitized  by  tine  Internet  Arciiive 

in  2009  witii  funding  from 

Princeton  Tlieological  Seminary  Library 


Iittp://www.arcliive.org/details/expositorylect02betli 


EXPOSITORY    LECTURES 


HEIDELBERG   CATECHISM. 


BY 

GEORGE   W.    BETHUNE,   D.  D. 


IN   TWO   VOLUMES. 
VOL.   II. 


NEW   YORK: 
SHELDON   AND    COMPANY. 

335    BHOADWAY,    COR.    WORTH    ST. 

1864. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1864,  by 

Sheldon  and  Company, 

in  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  for  tlie  Southern  District  of  New  York, 


O.    A.    AI.VOl:i).    PKl.NTER. 


CONTENTS   OF   VOLUME    II. 


LECTURE   XXIir. 

PAGK 

THK   JUDGMENT    BY    CHRIST         ...  .  .  5 

LECTUKH  XXIV. 

THE    DIVINITY,    PEKSOXALITY,    AND    WOUK    OF    THE    HO- 
LY   GHOST      .        • '  •  .19 

LECTURE  XXV. 
THE      HOLY    CATHOLIC     CHUKCH,    THE     COMMUNION     OF 

SAINTS 53 

LECTURE   XXVL 
THE    FORGIVENESS    OF    SINS 79 

LECTURE  XXVIL 
THE   RESURRECTION    OF    THE    IJODY  ....         95 

LECTURE  XXVin. 
THE    LIFE    EVERLASTING    .......       123 

LECTURE  XXIX. 
JUSTIFICATION    BY    FAITH 147 

LECTURE   XXX. 

JUSTIFICATION     BY     FAITH      DEFENDED;      OR,    THE     DOC- 
TRINE  OF    GOOD    WORKS       .  .  .  .  .  .      1G5 

LECTURE   XXXL 

FAITH    FROM    THE    HOLY    GHOST    THROUGH     TMi:    W()I!I> 

AND    THE    SACRAMENTS 183 

LECTURE  XXXII. 
BAPTISM.      ITS    AUTHORITY    AND    DESIGN  .  .  .       201 

LECTURE  XXXIIF. 
IJ.VPTISM.      THE    MODE  .......      223 


iv  CONTENTS. 

LECTURE  XXXIV. 

PAGE 

BAPTISM.      THE    SUBJECTS 243 

LECTURE  XXXV 

THE     SACRAMENT     OF     THE     SUPPER.      ITS     INSTITUTION 

AND    ITS   MODE 261 

t 

LECTURE  XXXVL 

THE    lord's    SUPPER 289 

LECTURE   XXXVIL     ' 
THE    lord's    supper.       (SECOND    LECTURE)        .  .  .      309 

LECTURE  XXXVIIL 
AGAINST    TRANSUBSTANTIATION 321 

LECTURE   XXXIX. 
THE   POWER    OF    THE    KEYS  ......      345 

LECTURE  XL. 
OF    THANKFULNESS 3tJ3 

LECTURE  XLI. 
THE    NATURE    OF    TRUE    CONVERSION  .  .  .  .377 

LECTURE   XLII. 
THE   NATURE    OF    GOOD    WORKS 393 

LECTURE  XLIII. 
THE    TEN    COMMANDMENTS 409 

LECTURE   XLIV. 

THE    FIRST    COMMANDMENT 425 

LECTURE   XLV. 
ON    THE    ORIGIN   AND    HISTORY    OF    IDOLATRY  .  .      443 

LECTURE  XLVI. 
ON   PROFANE    SWEARING 459 

LECTURE   XLVIL 

THE    PUHPOSE    OF    THE    SABBATH         .  .  .  .  .       ^77 


LECTURE  XXin. 


THE   JUDGMENT  BY  CHRIST. 


NINETEENTH    LQRD'S    DAY. 
THE   JUDGMENT   BY   CHRIST. 

He  hath  appointed  a  day,  in  the  which  he  will  judge  the  world  in  right- 
eousness, by  that  man  whom  he  hath  ordained.  —  Ads  xvii.  31. 

T^HE  works  of  nature  demonstrate  the  truth  of  the 
-*-  revelation,  that  "  God  created  tlie  heavens  and  the 
earth."  No  power  less  than  infihite,  no  skill  less  than 
all-wise,  could  produce  from  nothing,  or  maintain  in 
its  order,  so  vast,  so  varied,  so  harmonious  a  system. 
But  when  we  search  in  the  events  of  human  life  for 
evidences  of  God's  moral  government,  the  discovery  is 
partial  and  even  doubtful.  Virtue  is  praised.  There 
are  systems  and  teachers  of  ethics.  Religion  is  a  sacred 
name.  There  is  no  land  without  temples,  no  nation 
without  worshippers.  Yet  there  are  few  who  are  nota- 
ble for  virtue,  none  who  are  perfect.  Religion  fails  to 
preserve  the  sanctity  of  truth,  purity,  and  love.  We 
cannot  mistake  the  fact  that  men  are  governed  by  men 
more  than  by  God.  Their  supposed  interests,  or  at  the 
best  their  natural  affections,  ramifying  self,  through 
family,  friends,  and  humanity,  decide  for  the  most  part 
the  right  and  the  wrong  of  every  action.  What  con- 
fusion is  the  result  ?  The  rich  trample  on  the  poor 
The  poor  conspire  against  the  rich.  The  just  man  is 
persecuted  because  he  is  just.  The  vile,  when  success- 
ful, are  flattered  in  their  success.  The  calumniator 
stands  erect  upon  the  ashes  of  his  victim.  The  tyrant 
grasps  at  other  sceptres,  and  the  blood-drenched  earth 
(|uakes  beneath  artillery  more  destructive  than  heaven's 


8  THE  JUDGMENT   BY   CHRIST.        [Lect.  XXHI. 

thunders.  Vice  does  often  prove  Its  own  punishment ! 
There  are  physical  reasons  why  incautious  excess  should 
produce  wretchedness,  disease,  and  death.  But  does 
virtue  escape  ?  It  may  be  imperfect  virtue,  but  has  it 
immunity  so  far  as  it  is  virtue  ?  Is  vice  punished  so 
far  as  it  is  vice  ?  Are  rewards  and  punislmients  8o 
equally  distributed  as  to  show  beyond  a  question  that 
there  is  a  power  over  all  exact  in  justice  ?  We  must 
go  beyond  this  life  and  this  world  for  the  satisfaction 
of  our  anxious  reason,  and  faith  must  be  our  guide. 
God  alone  can  vindicate  his  ways  to  man.  He  has 
done  so.  The  ages  of  heathen  ignorance  and  dim  Ju- 
daism have  for  us  passed  away.  The  voice  of  God 
calls  aloud  to  our  souls  by  the  revelation  of  his  son. 
'*  Repent,  ye  children  of  men.  No  longer  dream  of  se- 
curity in  your  sins,  nor  think  because  no  fire  at  once 
descends  to  consume  the  wicked,  that  sin  shall  go  un- 
punished. Though  men  may  boast  themselves  without 
the  fear  of  God,  because  one  day  is  like  another,  and 
all  things  continue  as  they  were  ;  though  the  hearts 
of  the  children  of  men  are  more  fully  set  to  do  evil, 
because  of  long  impunity,  know  this,  that  I,  the  Lord 
yo'ur  God,  your  Creator  and  your  Governor,  am  your 
Judge.  I  liave  appointed  a  day  in  the  which  to  judge 
the  world  in  righteousness  by  that  man  whom  I  have 
ordained." 

My  friends,  careless  and  full  of  life  and  worldly 
hopes  as  we  may  be,  every  one  of  us  must  stand  before 
the  judgment-seat  of  God.  We  do  not  believe  this. 
It  cannot  be  that  we  realize  it.  If  we  did,  this  great 
thought  would  control  our  hearts,  and  press  upon  our 
minds,  and  rule  our  lives.  But  we  forget  it.  The  tre- 
mendous future  is  shut  out  from  our  view  by  tlie  temp- 


Lect.  XXIII.]        THE  JUDGMENT   BY   CHRIST.  9 

tations  of  the  present.  O  that  God  would  by  our  holy 
text  this  day  compel  us  to  believe  and  tremble,  that  so 
we  may  come  to  believe  and  hope  ! 

We  have  before  us, 

The  fact,  tlie  method,  the  person. 

First  :  Tlie  fact. 

He  has  appointed  a  day  in  the  which  he  will  judge 
the  world. 

Secondly  :   The  method. 

He  will  judge  the  world  in  righteousness. 

Thirdly  :   The  person. 

By  that  man  whom  he  hath  ordained. 

First:   The  fact. 

He  yf'iW  judge.  Judgment  signifies  investigation  of 
the  conduct  of  a  moral  being,  and  the  passing  sentence 
upon  him  of  reward  or  punishment,  according  to  his 
merit  or  demerit. 

God  alone  is  judge.  He  only  has  authority.  None 
can  judge  him,  for  he  is  supreme,  and  his  will  is  the 
law,  and  all  other  beings  are  his  creatures,  and  there- 
fore his  subjects.  He  does  sometimes  delegate  his 
authority,  as  to  parents  or  magistrates,  but  the  judg- 
ment in  his  sight  is  void  if  it  be  not  according  to  his 
law.  He,  therefore,  is  really  the  judge.  It  is,  then,  a 
most  blasphemous  thing  to  quarrel  with  God's  doings, 
or  to  doubt  the  justice  of  his  most  holy  law  and  right- 
eous sentences.  It  is  a  most  presumptuous  thing  to 
sit  in  harsh  judgment  upon  our  fellow-men,  our  fellow- 
subjects  and  sinners  ;  for  God  has  said,  "  Vengeance 
is  mine,  I  will  repay." 

God  only  is  able  to  judge.  None  but  he  can  discern 
the  inner  motives  of  the  moral  creature,  and  know  his 
true   character.     None  but  he  can  discern  the  conse- 


10  THE  JUDGMENT   BY   CHRIST.       [Lect.   XXHI. 

quences  of  any  moral  act,  or  estimate  its  true  goodness 
or  evil.  None  but  he  can  bestow  reward,  or  execute 
wrath,  after  the  decision  is  made.  It  is,  then,  a  most 
silly  and  rebellious  thing  in  us  to  try  ourselves  other- 
wise than  by  the  divine  will,  or  to  form  our  conduct 
otherwise  than  by  the  divine  rule.  Rather  let  us 
ask  him  to  search  us  and  try  us,  and  see  if  there 
be  any  evil  way  in  us,  and  lead  us  in  the  way  ever- 
lasting. 

God  will  judge  his  creatures. 

Judgment  is  an  attribute  of  sovereignty.  There 
would  be  no  divine  government,  and  the  divine  laws 
would  be  inoperative  and  void,  if  God  were  not  to 
reward  his  obedient,  and  punish  his  "disobedient  sub- 
jects. The  Epicureans  were  justly  considered  no  bet- 
ter than  atheists  for  teaching  that  the  divinity  had  no 
regard  to  the  conduct  of  men  ;  and  those  in  our  time 
are  as  bad  who  strive  to  think  that  they  may  sin  with- 
out God's  taking  note  or  vengeance.  It  is  essential  to 
his  justice.  For,  as  he  is  the  Creator,  so  he  is  the 
teacher  and  pattern  for  all  his  intelligent  creatures, 
whose  only  excellence  is  in  being  like  him.  But,  if  he 
never  visits  iniquity  with  wrath,  or  righteousness  with 
favor,  if  the  inequalities  of  this  life  are  never  to  be 
compensated  in  another,  his  creatures  cannot  know 
from  him  which  is  the  right  or  which  the  wrong.  They 
can  have  no  motive  to  do  well,  no  determent  from  do- 
ing ill.  Nay,  his  very  nature  is  such  that  he  is  a  con- 
suming fire  to  all  that  is  evil,  and  the  light  of  joy 
and  peace  to  all  that  is  good.  So  that  tliey  who  deny 
a  judgment,  destroy  all  morals,  and  would  abandon 
the  world  to  a  fearful  and  most  destructive  confusion 
of  chance. 


Leot.  XXIII.J         THE  JUDGMENT   BY   CHRIST.  H 

God  will  judge  the  world.  By  "  the  world,"  we 
must  understand  men,  as  the  only  moral  agents  in  it. 
Each  man  has  a  particular  judgment  when  he  passes 
into  the  eternal  world  by  death.  For  then  the  spirit 
returns  unto  God  who  gave  it,  and  cannot  fail  to  meet 
his  favor  or  condemnation.  Thus,  in  the  parable,  we 
see  Lazarus  enjoying  his  reward  in  Abraham's  bosom, 
but  the  rich  man  lifting  up  his  eyes,  being  in  torments. 
The  penitent  thief  was  promised  immediate  admission 
into  Paradise.  Paul  desired  to  depart  and  to  be  with 
Christ.  And  Peter  tells  us  that  the  spirits  of  the  old 
world  who  despised  the  long-suffering  of  God  in  the 
days  of  Noah,  are  in  prison.  This  should  make  us 
very  solemn  and  pious  in  our  pi-eparation  for  death,  for 
at  any  moment  death  may  come  and  usher  us  before 
God,  after  which  no  repentance  can  avail  for  our  deliv- 
erance from  the  wrath  of  God,  which  burns  unto  the 
lowest  hell. 

But  this  judgment  is  not  the  great  judgment  oi 
wiiich  the  apostle  speaks.  Nor  will  all  the  penalties  of 
sin,  nor  all  the  rewards  of  righteousness,  be  dispensed 
until  both  soul  and  body  shall  receive  them  after  the 
resurrection.  Nor  will  the  justice  of  God  be  mani- 
fested unto  all  men,  except  all  men  be  present  as  wit- 
nesses of  the  judgment  of  all  men.  He  will  judge  the 
world. 

The  whole  world  shall  be  judged.  Not  one  shall 
escape.  Before  him  shall  be  gathered  all  nations. 
"  Every  one  of  us  must  appear  before  the  judgment- 
seat  of  Christ."  The  rich  and  the  poor,  the  bond  and 
the  free,  the  learned  and  the  unlearned,  the  pious  and 
the  unbelieving.  God  will  send  forth  his  holy  angels  to 
compel  every  soul  before  him.      His  piercing  eye  shall 


12  THE  JUDGMENT  BY  CHRIST.        [Lect.  XXHI. 

detect  every  hiding  fugitive.  His  flames  shall  bifrn 
the  terror-stricken,  wretched  souls  that  would  cover 
themselves  under  rocks  and  mountains. 

Yet  the  individuality  of  each  sinner  will  not  be  lost 
in  the  vast  multitude.  Each  will  be  as  distinct,  and 
know  himself  to  be  as  distinct  in  the  eye  of  the  Judge, 
as  though  he  stood  alone  and  there  were  no  sinner  but 
he.  The  inquiry  will  be  into  all  the  actions  of  each, 
—  his  thoughts,  his  words,  his  deeds.  For  every  evil 
thought  and  every  idle  word  (Oh  what  a  scrutiny  !) 
will  he  bring  each  of  us  into  judgment.  Each  man 
shall  receive  the  reward  of  his  own  works,  whether 
they  be  good  or  whether  they  be  evil.  As  we  have 
been  instrumental  in  leading  others  to  sin  or  to  right- 
eousness, we  shall  share  in  their  punishment  or  reward. 
But  otherwise,  no  one  will  suffer  for  his  neighbor,  or 
can  thrust  his  neighbor  into  his  room.  Our  sins  are 
our  own  acts  ;  we  must  bear  them  ourselves,  unless  by 
faith  we  have  covered  ourselves  with  the  righteousness 
of  Christ. 

In  the  sight  of  the  whole  world  we  shall  be  judged. 
God  will  bring  every  man's  work  into  judgment.  The 
evil  thoughts  of  lust,  dishonest  longings,  or  envious 
meanness,  which  we  had  hidden  in  our  hearts  from  our 
closest  friends,  will  then  be  apparent.  Our  secret  sins, 
at  the  detection  of  which  we  would  now  burn  with 
shame,  before  the  eyes  of  the  good,  the  eyes  of  our 
evil  companions,  all  will  appear  without  cunning,  pal- 
liation, or  excuse.  Each  one's  conscience  will  then  be 
fearfully  awake.  We  shall  feel  intensely  our  own 
shame.  We  shall  see  each  one  the  shame  of  the  rest. 
The  sinner  will  condemn  himself  All  sinners  will 
condemn  him.      There  will  be  no  more  a  folse  public 


Lect.  XXin.]        THE  JUDGMENT  BY   CHRIST.  13 

opinion  ;  no  more  conspiracies  of  hand  joining  in  hand 
to  make  the  wrong  appear  the  right ;  no  more  standing 
by  friends  to  cover  up  iniquities.  The  whole  world, 
condemned  themselves,  will  condemn  eacli  sinner  of 
the  whole  world.  Oh  what  infamy  for  the  sinner ! 
oh  what  illustrious' fame  for  the  good! 

God  hath  appointed  a  day  in  the  which  he  will  judge 
the  world. 

His  vengeance,  though  it  delay,  does  not  sleep.  The 
day  is  fixed.  His  determination  is  made.  He  is  now 
recording  our  every  act,  and  word,  and  thought,  against 
that  day.  So  that  even  now  our  account  is  making  up, 
our  judgment  is  preparing.  The  day  is  fixed.  It  will 
come,  and  come  in  all  its  terrible  truth.  When  that 
day  shall  come,  no  man  knoweth.  They  profane  the 
scriptures  who  dare  to  pronounce  it.  But  the  same 
scriptures  teach  that  it  will  be  at  the  end  of  the  world. 
Not  at  the  end  of  this  dispensation,  as  some  interpret 
the  word.  That  is  not  the  usual  meaning  of  the  word 
world  in  Scripture  ;  and  we  have  no  right  to  change  a 
meaning  the  Holy  Ghost  has  given,  when  the  Holy 
Ghost  does  not  change  it.  The  judgment  must  be 
after  the  final  resurrection,  for  all  the  dead  will  be 
there.  It  is  to  be  followed  immediately  by  the  eternal 
punishment  of  the  wicked,  and  the  eternal  life  of  the 
rio-hteous.  It  shall  be  when  Christ  comes  in  great 
glory,  and  all  his  holy  angels  with  him,  and  he  shall  sit 
upon  the  throne  of  his  glory.  It  shall  be  at  the  con- 
summation of  the  things  of  this  world,  or  else  the 
design  of  the  judgment  in  vindicating  all  God's  ways 
to  man  will  not  be  met.  Ah,  my  friends,  whether 
that  day  be  remote  or  near,  the  day  of  our  death  is 
near,  and  after  death  there  can  be  no  preparation  made 


14  THE  JUDGMENT   BY   CHRIST.        [Lect.XXHI. 

to  meet  it.  Would  that  the  time,  wasted  in  curious 
questions  about  times  and  seasons,  were  spent  in  holy 
walking  with  God,  and  preaching  and  telling  the  story 
of  Christ  crucified. 

Secondly  :   The  method  of  the  judgment. 

He  will  judge  the  world  in  righteousness. 

In  righteousness.  Not  in  arbitrary  severity.  God 
will  be  angry  with  the  wicked  in  that  day.  But  the 
anger  of  God  is  not  like  the  wrath  of  man,  unjust  and 
cruel.  The  wicked  are  his  enemies,  but  he  will,  even 
in  judging  his  enemies,  lay  "judgment  to  the  line,  and 
righteousness  to  the  plummet."  He  will  try  them 
fairly,  and  only  by  the  law  he  has  given  them,  and  the 
eternal  principles  of  right  from  which  that  law  pro- 
ceeded. Their  own  conscience,  the  conscience  of  all 
moral  beings,  shall  confess  him  to  be  just. 

Nor  will  he  judge  partially  or  leniently.  He  has 
declared  that  he  will  by  no  means  clear  the  guilty  ; 
that  every  man  shall  receive  the  reward  of  his  deeds  ; 
that  the  wages  of  sin  is  death  ;  and  that  the  wicked 
shall  go  away  into  everlasting  punishment.  That  there 
will  be  degrees  of  wickedness  in  the  persons  judged, 
one  cannot  question  ;  and,  consequently,  there  will  be 
degrees  of  punishment ;  but  the  judgment  will  be  rigid, 
no  weak  sympathy  for  the  criminal  will  melt  the  judge 
to  pardon  or  reduce  the  penalty.  Stern,  unbending, 
perfect  righteousness  will  determine  all. 

But  will  there  be  no  mercy  ?  Yes ;  but  mercy 
through  righteousness.  God  will  be  as  faithful  to  his 
promises  as  to  his  law.  He  has  promised  pardon  to 
Christ  for  all  his  people,  because  Christ  for  them  hath 
fulfilled  the  law  and  made  it  honorable  ;  carried  their 
sorrows,  and  borne  their  sins  upon  the  tree.      There 


Lect.  XXIII.]        THE  JUDGMENT   BY  CHRIST  15 

was  inercy  in  the  provision  of  the  atoning  righteous- 
ness of  the  Son  of  God.  There  will  be  justice  in 
acquitting  for  the  sake  of  that  righteousness  all  who, 
according  to  the  promise,  have  trusted  in  Christ  as 
their  surety,  their  advocate,  and  redeemer.  Thus,  even 
while  the  sinner  saved  through  Christ  enters  into  eter- 
nal life,  the  justice  of  God  will  burn  the  more  brightly, 
because  he  pardoned  not  without  a  ransom.  Vain, 
therefore,  are  all  the  sinner's  hopes  of  escape  from  the 
mere  goodness  or  the  mere  justice  of  God.  Goodness 
cannot  save  him.  Justice  will  not  let  him  escape. 
There  is  no  safety  from  the  righteousness  of  God,  but 
under  the  covering  wings  of  a  Saviour's  righteousness. 

Thirdly  :   The  'person  of  the  judge. 

That  man  whom  he  hath  ordained. 

This  we  know  from  other  scriptures  is  Jesus  Christ 
our  Lord.  He  is  the  man  ordained  mediator  in  all 
God's  dealings  with  fallen  man ;  ordained  as  the  Sav- 
iour ;  ordained  as  the  advocate ;  ordained  as  the  king ; 
ordained  as  the  judge. 

He  is  called  that  man,  not  because  he  is  merely  man, 
for  he  is  also  God,  equal  with  God.  For,  indeed,  who 
that  is  not  God  could  bear  the  tremendous  majesty  that 
shall  cover  the  judgment-throne?  Who  that  is  not 
God  can  exert  the  omniscient  scrutiny  essential  to  that 
judgment  of  righteousness  ?  Who  that  is  not  God 
(for  if  not  God,  he  must  be  a  creature  and  a  servant) 
can  judge  the  servants  of  the  Most  High  ?  But  he  is 
called  "  that  man,''''  because,  for  reasons  we  shall  soon 
discover,  it  is  Christ,  God  incarnate  as  the  >  mediator, 
who  shall  execute  the  judgment  of  that  great  day. 

Christ  is  the  eternal  Word  ;  the  Word  that  was  God, 
and  that  was  made  flesh  and  dwelt  among  us,  his  glory 


16  THE  JUDGMENT   BY   CHRIST.         [Lect.  XXHI. 

being  that  of  the  only  begotten  of  the  Father,  full  of 
grace  and  truth.  It  is  the  office  of  the  eternal  Word  to 
manifest  the  godhead.  By  him  the  woi'lds  were  made. 
By  him  all  providence  is  administered,  and  by  him  the 
world  will  be  judged. 

But  it  is  the  Word  incarnate  by  whom  God  will 
judge  the  world.     This  is  because 

Christ  undertook  in  the  covenant  of  redemption  the 
full  vindication  of  the  law.  Because  of  the  intercession 
of  Christ  the  judgment  has  been  suspended.  It  is, 
therefore,  due  to  eternal  justice,  and  to  the  honor  of  the 
law,  that  Christ  should  adjudge  the  full  penalty  of  that 
law  upon  all  who,  notwithstanding  his  atonement,  have 
refused  to  repent  and  believe,  that  they  might  be  saved 
through  the  righteousness  of  God  in  Christ.  It  is  meet 
that  the  world  should  see  that  Christ  is  not  the  minis- 
ter of  sin,  but  that  even  he  who  opened  the  way  of 
righteous  mercy  should  execute  a  righteous  vengeance 
on  the  impenitent.  Nay,  his  own  honor,  as  the  Avell- 
beloved  of  God,  demands  that  he  should  be  uplifted 
in  glory  and  power,  over  all  those  who  insulted  and 
reviled  and  persecuted  himself  and  his  people. 

Christ,  also,  has  redeemed  his  people.  God  has 
accepted  the  ransom  price.  .He  has,  therefore,  given 
him  his  people,  even  all  who  believed  upon  his  name. 
Therefore,  to  make  his  glory  as  a  Saviour  most  fully 
manifest,  the  Father  appoints  him  judge ;  that  with  his 
own  lips,  those  out  of  which  went  forth  his  atoning 
life,  those  from  which  have  proceeded  so  many  interces- 
sory prayers,  he  might  pronounce  the  acquittal  of  his 
people  ;  and,  with  his  own  hands,  that  were  nailed  upon 
the  cross,  and  so  long  stretched  forth  in  petition,  he 
might  put  upon  their  heads  the  crown  of  life. 


Lect.  XXIIL]         the  judgment  by   CHRIST.  17 

Thus  the  apostle  declares  that  God  has  given  assur- 
ance of  Christ  being  the  judge  of  the  world,  by  raising 
him  up  from  the  dead,  because  in  raising  him  from  the 
dead,  God  the  Father  by  the  Eternal  Spirit  declared 
Christ's  merit  in  the  covenant  complete,  and  his  atone- 
ment finished. 

Here  is  great  comfort  for  the  believer.  Sinner 
though  he  has  been,  and  is,  he  shall  meet  no  angry 
judge.  The  judge  is  he  who  once  was  his  advocate, 
his  elder  brother,  his  sympathizing  friend,  his  everlast- 
ing righteousness.  Jesus  sits  upon  the  throne,  —  Jesus, 
who  saves  his  people  from  their  sins. 

But  it  is  a  hvige  aggravation  of  terror  to  the  impen- 
itent, that  they  shall  see  in  their  judge  the  Saviour 
they  rejected  and  scorned.  All  hope  will  be  at  an 
end  when  the  Saviour  condemns.  They  then  will  be 
willing  to  give  worlds,  if  they  had  them,  for  one  of 
those  gracious  invitations,  or  of  those  hours  of  plead- 
ing mercy  which  they  once  scorned  in  such  frequency. 
Then  shall  they  be  without  excuse,  for  they  would  not 
believe  and  repent,  until  the  very  blood  of  the  cross 
witnesses  against  them.  Oh,  how  fierce  the  anger  of 
love  like  Christ's  turned  into  unpitying  wrath  ! 

APPLICATION. 

The  wisdom  of  preparing  for  the  judgment. 

We  cannot  avoid  it. 

We  cannot  abide  it. 

We  cannot  resist  it. 

The  method  of  preparing  for  the  judgment. 

By  meeting  God  now. 

In  his  word  as  the  test  and  rule  of  our  conduct. 

In  prayer  as  in  his  searching  presence. 


18  THE  JUDGMENT  BY   CHRIST.        [Lect.  XXHI. 

In  Christ  as  the  only  righteousness. 

The  folly  of  postponing  the  preparation. 

We  may  die. 

We  may  become  hardened. 

We  need  all  our  time. 


lp:cture  XXIV. 


THE  DIVINITY,  PERSONALITY,  AND  WOEK, 


THE  HOLY  GHOST. 


TWENTIETH  LORD'S   DAY. 

"  I  believe  in  the  Holy  Ghost." 

THE  DIVINITY,  PERSONALITY,  AND 
WORK,   OF  THE  HOLY  GHOST. 

Quest.  LIII.     What  dost  thou  heUeve  concerning  the  YIoi^y  Ghost? 

Ans.  First,  that  he  is  true  and  eternal  God  with  the  Father  and  the  Son; 
secondly,  that  he  is  also  given  me  to  make  me  by  a  true  faith  partaker 
of  Christ  and  all  his  benefits,  that  he  may  comfort  me  and  abide  with 
me  forever. 

'T^HE  lesson  for  to-day  brings  before  us  the  doctrine 
-^  of  scripture  concerning  the  Third  Person  of  the 
ever-blessed  Trinity,  the  Holy  Ghost ;  and  is  divided 
into  two  parts :  the  first,  asserting  his  true  and  proper 
divinity,  coequal  and  coessential  with  the  Father  and  the 
Son ;  the  second,  his  official  work,  or  the  gracious  ben- 
efits conferred  by  his  personal  agency  upon  all  believers. 

First  :  The  true  and  proper  divinity  of  the  Holy  Grhost. 

This  is  an  essential  article  in  the  faith  of  the  Catho- 
lic church  from  the  beginning  and  ever  since.  Devout 
Christians  of  all  ages  have  been  unanimous  in  cherish- 
ing this  belief,  not  only  because  it  is  clearly  taught 
in  the  divine  Word,  but  also  because  it  is  an  especial 
source  of  religious  comfort  and  strength.  It  is  found 
universally,  that,  as  they  who  deny  the  necessity  and 
reality  of  tlie  atonement,  deny  the  divinity  of  Christ, 
so  they  who  deny  the  necessity  and  reality  of  a  new 
birth,  deny  the  divinity  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  vice 
versa  ;  as  they  who  deny  the  divinity  of  Christ,  deny 
the    atonement,    so    they,  who    deny  the    divinity    of 


22  THE  DIVINITY,  PERSONALITY,      [Lect.  XXIV. 

the  Holy  Ghost,  deny  the  new  birth  or  regenera- 
tion. Just  as  our  sense  of  sin  and  guilt  makes  the 
divinity  of  Christ  the  Saviour  precious  to  us,  because 
no  merit  less  than  infinite  can  suffice  for  our  justifi- 
cation with  God,  so  our  sense  of  ignorance,  infirmity, 
and  corruption  makes  the  divinity  of  the  Comforter 
precious,  because  none  less  than  almighty  energy  can 
sufllice  for  our  re-creation  in  the  image  of  God  unto 
eternal  life.  And  as  the  evangelical  Christian  is  never 
weary  of  meditating  on  the  excellence  of  the  atone- 
ment, and  of  him  through  whose  vicarious  righteous- 
ness it  is  accomplished,  though  the  ti'uth  be  never  so 
familiar  to  him,  so  does  he  delight  to  confirm,  by  re- 
peated examination  of  scripture  testimony,  his  faith  in 
the  divine  perfections  of  that  gracious  agent  by  whom 
he  is  brought  out  of  darkness  into  light,  and  from  the 
depths  of  sin  to  the  heights  of  glory.  Nor  let  any  be 
impatient  of  this  discussion,  because,  as  they  think, 
their  faith  in  the  article  before  us  is  settled,  so  that 
they  need  no  further  instruction  on  it ;  for,  in  the  first 
place,  with  all  deference  to  the  ordinary  information 
of  professing  Christians,  it  may  be  questioned  whether 
there  are  not  at  least  some  in  every  congregation  who 
have  not  even  glanced  over  the  scriptural  evidence  of 
this  doctrine  ;  or,  if  they  have,  are  prepared  to  state  it 
for  the  satisfaction  of  an  inquirer,  or  defend  it  against 
a  caviller,  as  they  are  bound  to  do,  should  occasion  re- 
quire. Besides,  it  is  the  ofiice  of  the  blessed  Para- 
clete (Comforter),  whose  divine  honor  we  celebrate, 
to  teach  us  all  things,  and  to  bring  all  things  to  our 
remembrance  ;  nor  can  we  hope  to  enjoy  such  great 
benefits,  except  we  use  the  means  by  which  he  imparts 
them.     Were  the  exhibition  of  Christian   doctrine  to 


Lect.  XXIV.]      AND   WORK  OF  THE  HOLY  GHOST.  23 

be  suspended  because  most  Christians  are  acquainted 
with  it,  the  younger  disciples  would  soon  be  found 
ignorant,  and  all  forms  of  mischievous  error  would  grow 
up  in  the  church  from  the  absence  of  teaching  the  con- 
trary. Nor  are  we  without  reason  of  fear  that  this  par- 
ticular doctrine,  fundamental  and  edifying  as  it  is,  has, 
especially  of  late,  received  too  little  consideration. 

It  must  be  obvious  to  you,  that,  though  the  doctrine 
of  the  Holy  Ghost  pervades  the  whole  Scriptures,  it  is 
not  so  formally  or  elaborately  expressed  as  that  con- 
cerning the  mediator  Christ  Jesus  ;  and  the  reason  is, 
that  our  Lord  being  presented  to  us  in  a  human  form, 
and  being  indeed  man,  there  was  greater  need  that  his 
personal  divinity  should  be  assured  ;  and  also,  as  the 
basis  of  our  justification  should  be  fully  apprehended 
by  us,  there  was  greater  need  that  his  work  should  be 
thoroughly  explained  ;  Avhile  the  purely  spiritual  nature 
of  the  Comforter,  and  the  inexplicable  character  of  the 
process  through  which  he  accomplishes  his  work  in  the 
hearts  of  men,  render  it  necessary  only  that  his  agency 
and  his  office  should  be  revealed.  The  Scripture 
answers  no  idle  or  curious  questions,  nor  will  open  its 
living  oracles  for  any  who  are  not  of  a  humble  and 
childlike  mind.  Hence,  a  much  larger  portion  of  both 
the  creed  and  the  catechism  is  given  to  declarations 
respecting  Christ  than  to  those  respecting  the  Holy 
Ghost.  We  may,  however,  regret  (if  an  expression 
of  the  kind  be  allowable)  that  the  church  has  not  pro- 
vided us  with  more  instruction  on  this  subject ;  but  if 
the  treatment  be  brief,  it  should  be,  as  far  as  possible, 
clear  and  explicit. 

It  must  also  be  remembered  that,  while  the  doctrine 
of  the  Trinity  is  traceable  by  the  liglit  of  the  gospel. 


24  THE  DIVINITY,  PERSONALITY,      [Lect.  XXIV. 

throughout  the  older  Scriptures,  it  is  empliatically  a 
doctrine  of  the  New  Testament ;  and  that  the  titles 
of  the  three  eternally  distinct  and  coexistent  persons, 
Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  though  descriptive  (at 
least  for  aught  we  know)  of  the  ineffable  relations 
existing  between  them  from  eternity,  are  throughout 
the  evangelical  books  descriptive  of  their  several  offices 
in  the  plan  of  redemption. 

With  this  preface  let  us  now  most  reverentially  con- 
sider under  three  heads  the  third  adoi'able  person  of 
the  ever-blessed  Trinity. 

I.  His  name^  —  The  Holy  Ghost. 

n.   His  Ahtmci  jjersonality. 

in.   His  true  divinity. 

I.  His  name  :  —  The  Holy  Ghost. 

Gfhost  and  sjm^it  are,  in  our  English  Scriptures, 
synonymous  and  interchangeable  terms.  Thus  (Liike 
xxiii.  46)  we  read :  "  And  when  Jesus  had  cried  with 
a  loud  voice,  he  said.  Father,  into  thy  hands  I  com- 
mend my  spirit ;  and  having  said  thus,  he  gave  up  the 
ghost.'''  The  original  for  both  words  is  the  same  (com- 
pare the  Greek  of  Matt,  xxvii.  50,  and  of  John  xix. 
30).  Ghost  is  a  purely  English  word  ;  spirit,  a  Latin 
word  anglicized  ;  and  both  translate  a  Hebrew  word 
(jyn  ruah^,  which,  when  applied  to  living  beings,  is, 
throughout  the  Old  Testament,  translated  spirit.  Both 
the  Hebrew  and  Greek  terms  are  figurative,  the  He- 
brew signifying  primarily  ivind,  and  the  Latin  breath, 
and  both  are  intended  to  express  the  immaterial  or 
unsubstantial  nature  of  the  class  of  being  which  we 
call  spirit.  In  those  languages,  no  nearer  approach 
could  be  made  to  a  designation  of  existence  not  bodily. 
The   sound    of   the  words  shows  their  origin,  —  ruah 


Lect.  XXIV.]      AND  WORK  OF  THE  HOLY   GHOST.  25 

resembling  that  made  by  the  wind  ;  spi-ritus  that  made 
by  the  breath.  Our  English  word  ghost  seems  to  be 
radical  and  primary  ;  at  least  its  etymology  is  now  too 
obscure  to  be  traceable.  It  is  possible  that  it  was 
adopted  for  the  same  reason  of  sound,  ghos-t^  or  gheis-t, 
though  the  conjecture  is  very  doubtful,  many  English 
words,  having  no  relation  to  wind  or  breath,  having  the 
same  sibilant  sound.  Certain  it  is,  that,  while  the  He- 
bi-ew  word  is  u'ind,  and  the  Latin  breathy  the  English 
ghost  is  never  used  but  to  signify  either  the  spirit  of 
man  (and  that  after  its  separation,  or  at  the  moment  of 
its  separation,  from  the  body)  and  the  adorable  Holy 
Spirit,  or  Holy  Ghost.  Spirit  is  also  used  in  both 
testaments  for  an  extraordinary  faculty,  as  a  spirit  of 
prophecy,  or  a  spirit  of  divination,  and  as  Daniel  is  said 
to  have  had  "  an  excellent  spirit  "  (compare  Dan.  v. 
12,  and  vi.  3)  ;  and  again  for  a  prevailing  temper  or 
disposition,  as  a  spirit  of  fear,  or  of  bondage,  or  of  the 
world,  or  of  meekness,  or  of  heaviness  ;  and  there  are 
other  uses  of  the  term,  which  need  not  be  cited.  No 
such  use,  however,  is  made  of  our  word  ghost,  which 
has  this  advantage,  that  it  not  only  translates  the  orig- 
inal, but  gives  the  exact  idea  in  the  venerable  name  of 
the  Holy  Ghost.  Still,  as  it  is  not  the  word  in  the 
original,  we  can  avail  ourselves  of  it  only  as  an  expli- 
cative. When,  therefore,  the  Scriptures,  or  we,  follow- 
ing the  Scriptures,  speak  of  the  infinitely  glorious  Third 
Person  of  the  Trinity  as  the  Holy  Ghost,  or  Spirit, 
it  is  expressive  of  his  simple  essence  as  a  living,  intelli- 
gent, active  being,  without  body  or  material  substance, 
as  when  our  Lord  says  :  "  God  is  a  spirit ;  "  and,  again, 
when  the  disciples  were  affrighted  on  his  appearance 
among   them   after    his  resurrection,    "  supposing    thai 


26  THE  DIVINITY,   PERSONALITY,      [Lect.  XXIV 

they  had  seen  a  spirit,"  "  he  said  unto  them  :  .  .  .  Be- 
hold my  hands  and  my  feet,  that  it  is  I  myself;  handle 
me  and  see  ;  for  a  spirit  hath  not  flesh  and  bones  as  ye 
see  me  have." 

But  he  is  termed  The  Holy  Spirit  to  distinguish 
him  by  that  epithet  emphatically  from  all  created 
spirits,  which,  at  their  best  estate,  are  infinitely  below 
him  in  holiness,  and  capable  of  sin.  He  is  infinitely, 
essentially,  and  unchangeably  holy. 

But,  as  The  Third  Person  has  this  infinitely  holy 
spirituality  of  essence  (or  being)  in  common  with  the 
First  and  Second  Persons,  it  may  be  asked  :  Why  he 
is  specially  and  only  designated  as  The  Holy  Spikit 
or  Ghost  ?  This  may  be  at  least  partially  (for  there 
must  be  mysteries  here  into  which  Ave  cannot  enter) 
and  satisfactorily  answered  from  the  character  of  the 
operations  specially  attributed  to  him,  and  particularly 
his  work  in  believers  ;  of  which  we  shall  soon  have 
occasion  to  speak  more  at  large.  The  Father, 
throughout  the  development  of  the  divine  purposes,  is 
exhibited  as  the  representative  of  the  godhead,  direct- 
ing and  acknowledging  the  several  operations.  It  is 
his  will,  as  the  will  of  the  godhead,  which  is  through 
all  ;  but  when  the  godhead  speaks  or  visibly  acts,  it 
is  ever  by  the  Second  Person  or  the  Son  ;  who,  for  this 
reason,  is  called  "  the  Word  ;  "  "  the  bi'ightness  (or 
shining  forth)  of  his  glory,  and  the  express  image  (or 
open  representation)  of  his  person  (or  existence)." 
So,  when  the  godhead  acts  silently,  invisibly,  and  effi- 
ciently (that  is  carrying  into  effect  or  consummately) 
the  divine  purposes  as  manifested  and  operated  by  the 
Word,  it  is  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  who  acts  wholly  and 
solely  in  a  purely  spiritual  manner.     Especially,  as  we 


Lect.  XXIV.]         AND   WORK  OF   THE  HOLY   GHOST.  27 

said,  is  this  the  case  with  his  divine  work  in  tlie  souls 
of  behevers,  and  in  their  bodies  as  related  to  their  souls 
in  the  Christian  life.  All  his  effects  there  (we  say 
effects,  for  all  his  works  are  effects,  not  preparatory  or 
instrumental  processes)  are  noiseless  and  invisible,  or 
purely  spiritual,  as  "quickening,"  "converting,"  "con- 
vincing," "  enlightening,"  "  strengthening,"  "  sanctify- 
ing." Hence  is  he  made  known  unto  us  as  the  Spirit, 
the  Holy  Ghost.  The  name  is  also  characteristic  of 
the  mode  by  which  he  proceeds  from  the  Father.  By 
the  Son  the  Father  speaks ;  but  the  Holy  Ghost,  in 
answer  to  the  prayer  of  the  Son,  is  breathed  or  spirit- 
ually sent  through  the  words  and  the  works  of  the 
Son,  to  effect  their  purposes.  Thus  the  Saviour  not 
only  spake  to  the  disciples  after  his  resurrection,  but, 
by  the  mediatorial  prerogative,  Avhich  was  then  his, 
"  he  breatlied  upon  them  and  saitli  unto  them.  Receive 
ye  the  Holy  Ghost."  This  breathing,  however,  was 
only  a  type  or  perceptible  sign  of  the  spiritual  method 
by  which  the  Holy  Ghost  is  imparted,  and  for  the  con- 
vincing of  the  disciples  not  yet  weaned  from  the  habit 
of  sensible  manifestations  under  the  old  law  ;  so  was 
also  the  shape  of  fire  hovering  and  descending  like  a 
dove  on  the  head  of  Christ,  as  he  came  up  from  his 
baptism  by  John,  and  "  the  rushing  mighty  wind  "  that 
"  filled  the  place  "  where  the  disciples  were  sitting  at 
the  Pentecost,  and  the  "  cloven  tongues  like  as  of  fire  " 
that  "  sat  upon  each  of  them."  For  the  Holy  Ghost, 
being  pure  spirit,  cannot  be  breath,  or  wind,  or  fire  ; 
though  each  of  those  elements  may  be  employed  by 
divine  pity  of  our  weakness  to  represent  in  a  lively 
manner  his  mysterious,  mighty,  and  purifying  influ- 
ences.     And    vou    Avill    observe    that    all    the    effects 


28  THE  DIVINITY,   PERSONALITY,  [Lect.  XXIV. 

wrought  simultaneously  with  those  perceptible  exhibi- 
tions, were  spiritual.  The  baptism  by  fire  was  the 
anointment  of  our  Lord's  humanity  with  the  spirit  of 
wisdom  and  understanding,  "  the  spirit  of  counsel  and  of 
might,  the  spirit  of  knowledge  and  of  the  fear  of  the 
Lord  ;  "  according  to  Isaiah's  prophecy.  So  with  the 
gifts  to  the  disciples  at  the  Pentecost.  Their  tongues, 
or  any  of  their  corporeal  faculties,  were  not  altered  ; 
but  through  the  energies  of  the  Holy  Ghost  within 
them,  they  had  new  spiritual  faculties  to  use  them  in 
the  divine  service.  There  is  but  one  work  or  effect  of 
the  Holy  Ghost,  which  was  not  apparently  of  this 
purely  spiritual  character,  and  that  was  the  conception 
of  the  Virgin  Mary  by  the  Holy  Ghost ;  but  the  mys 
teries  of  the  incarnation  are  far  beyond  the  limits  of 
our  inquiry.  The  effects  wrought  in  physical  nature 
by  the  Spirit  of  God  at  the  beginning  of  oilr  system, 
are  to  be  regarded  as  a  gigantic  type  of  the  new  spirit- 
ual creation  in  Christ  Jesus  ;  *  and  even  in  them  the 
operation  of  the  Spirit  was  in  giving  efficiency  to  the 
Will  uttered  by  the  Word;  for,  at  each  step  of  the 
process,  we  read  that  the  Lord  said.  Let  the  thing  be. 
There  was  a  Trinity  in  the  creation,  as,  indeed,  the 
learned  Jews  failed  not  to  pei'ceive,  though  they  under- 
stood not  the  doctrine  and  had  not  the  term,  —  the 
Will,  the  Word,  and  the  Energy  ;  the  Father,  the  Son, 
and  the  Spirit.  But,  as  we  observed  in  our  preface, 
it  is  with  reference  to  the  plan  of  redemption  that 
the  names  by  which  the  three  persons  of  the  godhead 
are  made  known  to  us,  are  used  in  the  evangelical 
writings. 

IL  The  distinct  personalitt/  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

*  In  both  cases  it  L^  giving  lifn  which  is  imiiaatei-iaL 


Lect.  XXIV.]       AND  WORK  OF  THE   HOLY  GHOST.  29 

The  testimony  of  the  Scriptures  is  of  such  a  kind, 
that  if  we  prove  by  it  the  distinct  personahty  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  his  divinity  must  be  acknowledged  as  a 
necessary  consequence.  Hence,  those  who  object  to 
the  belief  that  the  Holy  Ghost  is  the  third  coequal 
person  of  the  Trinity,  are  divided  into  two  classes : 
one,  like  the  Arians,  considering  that  sacred  name  to 
signify  a  mere  influence  of  God ;  the  other,  like  the 
Sabellians,  considering  it  to  be  another  title  of  the 
Father.  Had  we  time,  it  would  be  well  to  examine 
and  refute  both  these  heresies  in  detail,  but  such  par- 
ticularity is  not  required.  It  will  appear  from  the  use 
we  shall  make  of  Scripture-testimony,  that  the  Holy 
Ghost  is  a  beinc/,  not  an  accident  or  quality  or  mode 
of  being  ;  an  agent,  not  an  action,  and  an  agent  dis- 
tinct from  the  two  other  divine  agents,*  Father  and 
Son  ;  and,  also,  that  will,  affection,  action,  and  au- 
thority are  predicated  of  (or  ascribed  to)  him.  Proof 
of  these  several  points  demonstrate  his  distinct  person- 
ality. 

1.  In  the  first  place,  it  is  remarkable,  that,  while  the 
Greek  Tnei/xa,  with  its  article  and  qualifying  adjective 
TO  aycov,  is  in  the  neuter  gender,  the  pronouns  and  other 
relatives  to  it  are  in  the  masculine,  showing,  as  any 
one  acquainted  with  language  knows,  that  -the  Spirit 
referred  to  is  a  person  and  not  a  thing :  "  But  the  Com- 
forter, the  Holy  Ghost,  whom  the  Father  Avill  send  in 
my  name,  he  shall  teach  you  all  things."  Again,  "  If 
I  go  not  away  the  Comforter  will  not  come  unto  you, 
but  if  I  depart  I  will  send  him  unto  you ;  and  when 
he  is  come,  he  will  reprove  the  world  of  sin,"  etc. 
AvTov :  'E^etvos.     Such  language  clearly  designates,  not 

*  Heber's  Banipton  Lectures,  Lect.  I.  p.  46. 


30  THE  DIVINITY,  PERSONALITY,       [Lect.  XXIV. 

an  influence  or  an  effect,  but  a  distinct,  personal,  intel- 
ligent agent ;  besides  which,  Comforter  is  a  personal 
appellation. 

2.  Personal  properties  are  ascribed  to  him. 

a.  Will.  As  in  1  Cor.  xii.  4-11,  where  the  apostle, 
having  described  the  "diversities  of  gifts"  and  "ad- 
ministrations," says:  "All  these  worketh  (energizeth} 
that  one  and  the  self-same  Spirit,  dividing  to  every  man 
severally  as  he  will." 

h.  Knowledge.  As  1  Cor.  ii.  10,  11 :  "  God  hath 
revealed  them  unto  us  by  his  Spirit  ;  for  the  Spirit 
searcheth  all  things,  yea  the  deep  things  of  God  ;  for 
what  man  knovveth  the  things  of  a  man,  save  the  spirit 
of  man  which  is  in  him  ?  Even  so,  the  things  of  God 
knoweth  no  man  (no  one)  but  the  Spirit  of  God."  So, 
also,  our  Lord  (John  xiv.  26)  :  "  He  shall  teach  you 
all  things  ;  "  therefore,  he  knows  all  things. 

c.  Affections.  Rom.  xv.  30  :  "  Now  I  beseech  you, 
brethren,  for  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ's  sake,  and  for  the 
love  of  the  Spirit." 

d.  Power.  Rom.  xv.  13  :  "  That  ye  may  abound  in 
hope  and  in  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost ;  "  and  xix. 
12,  "  through  mighty  signs  and  wonders  by  the  power 
of  the  Holy  Ghost." 

e.  Liableness  to  offence  and  resistance.  Matt.  xii. 
31,  32  :  "  All  other  sin  and  blasphemy  (blasphemy  is 
insult  to  God)  may  be  forgiven  unto  men  ;  but  the 
blasphemy  against  the  Holy  Ghost  (or  blasphemy  of 
the  Spirit)  shall  not  be  forgiven  unto  men.  And  who- 
soever speaketh  a  word  against  the  Son  of  man,  it  shall 
be  forgiven  him ;  but  whosoever  speaketh  against  the 
Holy  Ghost,  it  shall  not  be  forgiven  him,  neither  in  this 
world  nor  in  the  world  to  come."     And  Acts  v.  3,  4, 


Lect.  XXIV.]       AND   WORK  OF   THE  HOLY   GHOST.  31 

where  Peter  says  to  Ananias :  "  Why  liath  Satan  filled 
thine   heart  to   lie  to  the  Holy  Ghost  ?  .  .   .  .   Thou 
hast  not  lied  unto  men,  but  unto  God."     Again,  9th  : 
"  How  is  it  that  ye  have  agreed  together  to  tempt  the 
Spirit  of  the  Lord  ?  "     So,  also,  the  martyr  'Stephen, 
vii.  51:    "Ye   do    always   resist    the   Holy  Ghost;  as 
your  fathers  did,  so  do  ye  ; "  and  the  apostle  (Ephes. 
iv.  30)  :  "  Grieve  not  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God  ;  where- 
by ye  are  sealed  unto  the  day  of  redemption." 
3.  Personal  acts  are  ascribed  to  him. 
Instances  of  this  are  very  numerous,  and  it  is  impos- 
sible to  make  any  candid  reader  of  the  Bible  believe 
that  the  Holy  Ghost  is,  in  nearly  every  passage  where 
his  operations  are  referred  to,  spoken  of  otherwise  than 
as  a  personal  agent.     "  Moving,"  "  striving,"  "  quick- 
ening,"   "  descending,"    "  testifying,"    "  convincing," 
"  interceding,"  and  many  other  actions  that  occur  to 
your  memory,  all  belong  to  a  personal  agent.     Take 
two  passages  for  examples :    Acts   xiii.   2,  4.      "  The 
Holy  Ghost  said  :  Separate  me  Barnabas  and  Saul  for 
the  work  whereunto  I  have  called  them.   ...  So  they, 
being  sent  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  departed."     Acts  viii. 
39,  in  the  account  of  the  Ethiopian  eunuch's  conver- 
sion,   we   read    that   "the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  caught 
away  Philip."     But  especially  his  personal   agency  is 
asserted    in   the  principal   divine   works   of  our   crea- 
tion  and   redemption. 

Gen.  i.  2 :  "  In    the   beginning   the   Spirit  of  God 
moved  on  the  face  of  the  waters." 

In  the  incarnation  he  overshadowed  the  Virgin. 
At  our  Lord's  entrance  upon  his  official  work,  the 
Holy  Ghost  visibly  descended  upon   him,  as  he  came 
up  from  his  baptism  by  John,  according  to  the  prophecy 


32  THE  DIVINITY,   PERSONALITY,       [Lect.  XXIV 

of  Isaiah  that  "  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  "  would  anoint 
him  as  the  Saviour. 

In  his  death  (Heb.  ix.  14)  he,  "  through  the  eternal 
Spirit  offered  himself  without  spot  to  God." 

In  his  resurrection,  he  was  quickened  by  the  power 
of  the  Spirit  (Eph.  i.  20 ;  ii.  1),  and  was  "  declared  to 
be  the  Son  of  God  with  power  according  to  the  Spirit 
of  holiness  "  (Rom.  i.  4)  ;  see,  also,  1  Peter  iii.  18  ; 
1  Cor.  XV.  45. 

So,  also,  in  the  application  of  the  benefits  purchased 
by  the  Mediator  to  the  souls  of  believers,  which  is 
everywhere  ascribed  to  the  Holy  Ghost. 

In  their  regeneration  or  quickening  with  a  divine 
life  ;  they  are  born  of  the  Spirit,  and  quickened  by  the 
Spirit,  (John  iii.  3  ;  Ephes.  ii.  1.) 

In  their  adoption :  "  For  as  many  as  are  led  by  the 
Spirit  of  God,  they  are  the  sons  of  God,"  (Rom.  viii. 
14-17.) 

In  their  sanctification :  "  Ye  are  washed,  ye  are 
sanctified,  ye  are  justified  in  the  name  of  the  Lord 
Jesus,  and  by  the  Spirit  of  our  God,"  (1  Cor.  vi.  11.) 
"  Know  ye  not  that  ye  are  the  temple  of  God,  and  that 
the  Spirit  of  God  dwelleth  in  you  ?  "  (iii.  16.) 

In  their  graces:  Faitli,  hope,  love,  strength,  comfort, 
assurance,  and  all  the  blessed,  hol}^  consequences  flow- 
ing from  them,  which  we  know,  without  noAV  citing 
texts  sufficiently  familiar,  are  all  ascribed  to  the  direct 
agency  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  are  summed  up  in  the 
apostolical  benediction  :  "  The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  the  love  of  God,  and  the  communion  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  be  with  you  all;"  "the  communion  of 
the  Holy  Ghost  "  there  signifying  participation  in  all 
the  benefits  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  promised  to  and  be- 
stowed upon  all  believers. 


Lect.  XXIV.]      AND   WORK  OF   THE  HOLY   GHOST.  33 

4.  Lest,  however,  some  might  yet,  though  in  the  face 
of  all  these  proofs  to  the  contrary,  continue  to  assert 
that  these  many  mentions  of  the  Holy  Ghost  refer  only 
to  acts  of  God  the  almighty  Father,  and  do  not  imply 
distinct  personalities  in  the  godhead,  let  us  call  to  our 
minds  several  passages  in  which  such  distinctness  is 
manifest.  Thus,  at  the  unction  of  our  Lord,  (Luke 
iii.  22,)  we  read:  "And  the  Holy  Ghost  descended  in 
a  bodily  shape  like  a  dove  upon  him,  and  a  voice  came 
from  heaven  which  said  :  Thou  art  my  beloved  Son,  in 
thee  I  am  well  pleased."  Here  is  the  Father  speaking 
from  heaven  to  the  Son  on  earth,  and  the  Holy  Ghost 
descending  from  heaven  on  the  Son. 

Ao-ain,  in  the  divinely  prescribed  formula  of  baptism: 
"In  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of 
the  Holy  Ghost,"  (th(»  three  present  at  the  baptism  of 
our  Head.)  Nothing  but  the  extremest  prejudice  could 
bring  one  to  believe  that  these  several  names  belong  to 
only  a  single  person,  and  do  not  intend  three  distinct 
persons  in  the  godhead. 

So  with  the  apostolical  benediction  :  "  The  grace  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  (the  grace  of  his  purchase,)  the 
love  of  God,  (the  Father  representing  the  propitiated 
o-odhead,)  and  the  communion  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  (or 
participation  in  the  energies  of  the  Holy  Ghost  by 
whom  the  grace  is  applied  to  us,  and  "  the  love  of  God 
shed  abroad  in  our  hearts,")  which  is  according  to  the 
interpretation  given  in  Ephes.  ii.  18:  "For  through 
him  (our  Lord  Jesus)  we  have  access  by  one  Spn-it 
unto  the  Father." 

Thus  our  Lord  (John  xiv.  16)  :    "  I  will  pray  the 
Father,    and   he    shall    give    you    another    Comforter, 
(mark,  not  another  Comfort,  but  another  Comforter, 
3 


34  THE  DIVINITY,   PERSONALITY,      [Lect.  XXIV. 

an  agent  like  himself,)  that  he  may  abide  with  you 
forever."  Again,  26 :  "  The  Comforter  which  is 
the  Holy  Ghost,  whom  the  Father  will  send  in  my 
name,  he  shall  teach  you  all  things."  Here  is  the  Son 
asking  the  Father  that  he  would  send  another  per- 
sonal Comforter. 

We  might  heap  texts  upon  texts  to  prove  the  distinct 
personalit}^  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  but  these  specimens 
of  the  several  classes  of  proofs  are  quite  enough  to 
establish  the  doctrine. 

III.  His  true  divinity. 

This  has,  in  reality,  been  asserted  by  many  of  the 
texts  cited  under  the  former  heads,  but  is  corroborated 
by  several  classes  of  scriptural  proofs,  some  from  each 
of  which  may  be  added. 

1.   There  are  many  places  where  the  name  of  God 
is  used  interchangeably  with  that  of  the  Holy  Grhost^  ■ 
or  Spirit  of  God.     Thus  :  — 

Isaiah  vi.  8,  9,  the  prophet  says :  "I  heard  the  voice 
of  the  Lord  saying,  ....  Go,  and  tell  this  people, 
Hear  ye  indeed  but  understand  not ;  and  see  ye  indeed 
but  perceive  not,"  &c.  The  apostle  (Acts  xxviii.  25) 
quoting  this  passage  says :  "  Well  spake  the  Holy 
Ghost  by  Esaias  the  prophet  unto  our  fathers,  saying. 
Go  unto  this  people  and  say,  Hearing  ye  shall  hear, 
and  understand  not ;  and  seeing  ye  shall  see,  and  per- 
ceive not,"  &c. 

So  the  Psalmist,  xcv.  8-11,  speaks  of  the  people 
tempting  and  proving  the  Lord  ;  and  this  is  termed 
by  the  martyr  Stephen  a  resisting  of  the  Holy  Ghost 
(Acts  vii.  51)  :  "  Ye  stiff-necked,  and  uncircumcised 
in  heart  and  ears,  ye  do  always  resist  the  Holy  Ghost ; 
as  your  fathers  did  so  do  ye." 


Lect.  XXIV.]    AND   WORK  OF   THE   HOLY   GHOST.  35 

Peter,  in  the  condemnation  of  Ananias  (Acts  v.  3, 4), 
says  first :  "  Why  hath  Satan  filled  thy  heart  to  lie  to 
the  Holy  Ghost  ?  "  and  then  :  "  Thou  hast  not  lied 
unto  men  but  unto  God." 

In  the  annunciation  by  the  angel  (Luke  i.  35)  :  "  The 
Holy  Ghost  shall  come  upon  thee  and  the  power  of  the 
Highest  shall  overshadow  thee ;  therefore  also  that 
holy  thing  which  shall  be  born  of  thee,  shall  be  called 
the  Son  of  God." 

The  apostle  Paul  declares,  (2  Tim.  iii.  16,)  "  that 
all  scripture  is  given  by  inspiration  of  God."  The 
apostle  Peter,  (2  Pet.  i.  21,)  that  "prophecy  came 
not  in  the  old  time  by  the  will  of  man  ;  but  holy  men 
of  God  spake  as  they  were  moved  by  the  Holy  Ghost." 

2.  Attributes  transcendently  divine  are  given  to  the 
Holy  Ghost. 

The  offices  ascribed  to  him  imply  supreme  perfec- 
tions. For  how  can  he  who  "  searcheth  all  things,  even 
the  deep  things  of  God,"  be  other  than  infinite  ;  or 
he  who  teacheth  all  things,  otherwise  than  omniscient; 
or  he  who  dwells  at  one  and  the  same  time  in  all  be- 
lievers, otherwise  than  omnipresent ;  or  he  who  is  the 
author  of  life  and  the  worker  of  all  miracles,  otherwise 
than  omnipotent ;  or  he  who  was  before  all  things  and 
continueth  in  heaven  the  sanctifier  of  the  church,  other- 
wise than  eternal  ?  So  we  find  him  denominated  em- 
phatically "  the  eternal  Spirit,"  "  the  Spirit  of  wis- 
dom," "  the  Spirit  of  life,"  "  the  Spirit  of  power," 
"  the  Spirit  of  glory."  The  Epistle  to  the  Ephesians, 
in  its  doctrinal  portion,  is  wholly  taken  up  with  the 
"mighty  working,"  or  sovereign  operations  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  imder  various  appellations  expressive  of  an  all- 
pervading  energy. 


36  THE  DIVINITY,   PERSONALITY,       [Lect.  XXIV. 

3.  So  with  the  names  of  God,  which  are  given  to 
him,  as  lias  been  shown  in  aforecited  texts  and  manv 
others. 

4.  And  divine  homage  is  claimed  for  him..  Paul 
swears  by  him,  or  protests  appealing  to  him  as  men  do 
to  God  in  a  solemn  oath.  "  I  say  the  truth  in  Christ, 
I  lie  not,  my  conscience  also  bearing  me  witness  in  the 
Holy  Ghost."  Blasphemy  is  a  term  especially  and 
only  signifying  insult  to  God ;  yet,  as  we  have  seen, 
sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost  is  the  worst  kind  of  blas- 
phemy. The  body  inhabited  by  the  Holy  Ghost  is  a 
temple  of  God,  to  defile  which  is  sin  against  the 
indwelling  divinity.  So  with  the  formula  of  baptism, 
and   the  apostolical  benediction. 

5.  The  same  consummated  acts  of  God  are  ascribed 
to  each  of  the  three  divine  persons.  As  the  incar- 
nation of  Christ,  who  was  sent  of  the  Father,  who 
came,  and  who  was  conceived  by  the  Holy  Ghost ;  his 
crucifixion  ;  when  "  it  pleased  the  Father  to  bruise 
him  ;  "  when  he  "  gave  himself  a  ransom  for  many  ;  " 
and  "  offered  himself  through  the  eternal  Spirit ;  "  his 
resurrection,  when  the  Father  raised  him  up,  he  rose, 
and  was  quickened  by  the  Holy  Ghost.  So  with  the 
correspondent  acts  of  divine  grace  to  believers  in 
Christ. 

In  a  word,  unless  we  deny  the  personality  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  which  we  have  seen  is  to  deny  the 
Scripture,  he  must  be  considered  a  divine  person,  or 
God. 

Secondly  :  Tlie  official  loorh  of  the  Holy  Ghost ;  or 
the  benefits  conferred  by  his  2^^>'sonal  agency  upon  all 
believers. 

^'  That  he  is  also  given  me  to  make  me  by  a  true 


Lect.  XXIV.]         OF   GOD,   THE  HOLY   GHOST.  37 

faitli  partaker  of  Chi'ist  and  all  his  benefits ;  that  he 
may  comfort  me,  and  abide  with  me  forever." 

The  operations  of  the  Holy  Ghost  are  distinguished 
by  theologians  as  extraordinary  and  ordinary.  The 
extraordinary  are  his  operations  on  persons  selected  for 
special  ministries  in  the  church,  who,  therefore,  need  to 
be  endowed  with  peculiar  gifts :  as  the  prophets,  lead- 
ers, and  teachers  of  ancient  Israel,  who  were  employed 
by  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  certified  by  divine  proofs,  to 
make  known  the  will  of  God  ;  so,  the  apostle  Peter 
says  :  "  The  prophecy  came  not  in  the  old  time  by  the 
will  of  man,  but  holy  men  of  God  spake  as  they  were 
moved  by  the  Holy  Ghost :  "  and  the  apostles  of  the 
New  Testament,  who  were  employed  and  certified  in 
like  manner  to  make  further  revelations  of  the  truth  as 
it  is  in  Jesus.  The  compilation  of  their  writings,  or 
such  of  them  as  God  has  seen  fit  to  select,  which  we 
have  in  the  sacred  Scriptures,  constitutes  the  word  of 
God  to  us,  —  our  sole  and  supreme  and  sufficient  rule 
of  faith  and  practice.  The  miraculous  powers  of  the 
apostles  and  other  eminent  members  of  the  primitive 
church,  such  as  healing  the  sick,  speaking  with  various 
tongues,  were  the  signs  that  God  was  with  them  in 
their  work  of  establishing  Christianity,  and  are  called 
"  gifts  of  the  Holy  Ghost."  When  the  canon  of 
Scripture  was  complete,  and  the  church  fairly  estab- 
lished, these  extraordinary  operations  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  ceased,  there  being  no  longer  any  need  of  them. 

The  ordinary  operations  of  the  Holy  Ghost  are  those 
which  he  performs  toward  men  under  the  teaching  of 
the  gospel,  but  especially  towards  Christians.  For, 
although  the  Catechism  here  speaks  only  of  his  work  in 
believers,  (because  it  is  rather  a  catechism  of  Christian 


38  OF   GOD,   THE  HOLY  GHOST.       [Lect.  XXIV. 

experience  than  one  of  systematic  theology),  there  are 
offices  of  the  Spirit  accompanying  the  truth  toward 
unregenerate  men  :  such  as  causing  them,  in  some 
degree,  to  feel  the  force  of  the  truth,  to  see  the  wrong 
of  sin,  to  dread  the  wratli  of  God,  and  to  acknowledge 
the  necessity  of  religion.  This  is  called  by  several 
scriptures  "  the  striving  of  the  Holy  Ghost "  ("  my 
Spirit  shall  not  always  strive  with  men  "),  because  it  is 
exerted  upon  those  who  resist  his  merciful  influences. 
So  the  martj'r  Stephen  :  "  Ye  stiff-necked  and  uncir- 
cumcised  in  heart  and  ears,  ye  do  always  resist  the 
Holy  Ghost ;  as  your  fathers  did,  so  do  ye  ;  "  and  the 
apostle  Paul,  using  another  figure  :  "  Quench  not  the 
Spirit."  These  operations  in  men  who,  notwithstand- 
ing, reject  the  gospel,  resemble  those  which  he  directs 
toward  the  elect,  but  differ  in  their  effect,  the  latter 
being  always  efficient  to  salvation,  the  former  efficient 
in  greater  condemnation ;  as  the  design  differs,  in  the 
one  class  being  the  full  adoption  of  Christ's  people,  in 
tlie  other  being  the  vindication  of  the  divine  truth  and 
justice.  Hence  they  are  sometimes  described  as  the 
resistible  and  the  irresistible  graces  of  the  Spirit. 

Our  lesson  confines  us  to  the  work  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  in  those  who  are  saved,  which  is  stated  in  three 
particulars :  1,  A  participation  of  Christ  and  all  his 
benefits.  2.  Religious  comfort.  3.  Eternal  indwell- 
ing. 

1.   A  participation  of  Christ  and  all  his  benefits. 

The  Holy  Ghost,  as  has  before  been  shown,  is, 
according  to  the  plan  of  redemption,  the  agent  by 
whom  the  purpose  of  the  Father,  and  the  mediatorial 
work  of  the  Son,  are  made  efficient.  Thus,  it  is  the 
purpose  of  the  Father  (representing  the  Godhead)  to 


Lect.  XXIV.]         OF  GOD,   THE  HOLY   GHOST.  39 

save ;  the  Son,  by  his  mediatorial  work,  provides  the 
method  of  salvation,  and  the  Holy  Ghost  effects  the 
purpose  of  God  by  the  application  of  the  work  of 
Christ  to  the  sinner. 

a.  The  redemption  proceeds  upon  a  system  of  repre- 
sentation. The  sinner  must  be  covered  by  the  Sav- 
iour's suretyship  :  until  he  is  thus  in  Christ,  he  is 
exposed  to  the  wrath  of  God  and  all  its  terrible  evils, 
but  when  in  Christ,  he  enjoys  through  Christ  all  that 
is  necessary  for  everlasting  life,  as  a  member  of  the 
body  of  which  Christ  is  the  head.  Union  to  Christ, 
therefore,  must  be  first ;  the  benefits  of  grace  are  con- 
sequential. So  the  Catechism,  "  The  Holy  Ghost  .  .  . 
is  given  me  to  make  me  by  a  true  faith  partaker  of 
Christ."  Here  the  parallel  between  the  history  of 
Christ  and  that  of  each  of  his  people  is  remarkable. 
Christ  was  conceived  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  The  life  of 
the  Son  of  God  in  the  flesh  was  begun  by  the  efficient 
action  of  the  Holy  Ghost ;  .the  life  of  the  Christian  in 
Christ  must  be  begun  by  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
"  Except  a  man  be  born  again,"  said  our  Lord  to  Nico- 

demus,  "  he  cannot  see  the  kingdom  of  God 

Except  a  man  be  born  of  water  and  of  the  Spirit,  he 
cannot  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God.  That  which  is 
born  of  the  flesh  is  flesh,  and  that  which  is  born  of  the 
spirit  is  spirit."  Of  course  this  is  figurative  language, 
but  most  expressive.  It  implies  that  a  new  spiritual  or 
moral  or  religious  life  is  given  to  the  soul  whicli  before 
was  dead  to  all  spiritual  things,  and  that  it  is  given  or 
implanted  by  the  gracious  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
This  act  of  the  Holy  Ghost  is,  therefore,  the  beginning 
of  our  Christian  life.  Before  the  Holy  Ghost  thus  acts 
upon   our    souls,   we  can,   as  regards   spiritual   things. 


40  OF  GOD,  THE  HOLY   GHOST.        [1  ect.  XXIV. 

know  nothing,  foi"  we  are  without  perception ;  feel 
nothing,  for  we  are  without  sense  ;  do  nothing,  for  we 
are  without  strength.  Now  the  method  of  imparting 
this  new  life,  which  can  come  only  through  Christ,  and 
be  exercised  only  in  Christ,  is  not  arbitrary,  but  is  by 
brinp-incf  us  to  a  union  with  Christ.  Our  Lord  himself 
compares  it  to  a  grafting  of  a  branch  (living  indeed,  as 
we  all  live  before  regeneration,  but  in  an  evil  life) 
upon  a  good  stem,  which  speedily  sends  through  it 
its  own  better  life.  Christ  is  the  stem,  we  are  the 
branches  ;  the  Holy  Ghost  is  the  ingrafter.  We 
cannot  graft  in  ourselves,  Christ  does  not  graft  us  in, 
but  the  Holy  Ghost,  bringing  us  close  to  Christ,  makes 
us  partakers  of  Christ's  life.  Thus  again,  the  instru- 
ment of  regeneration  by  the  Holy  Ghost  is  the  truth  of 
Christ :  "  Being  born  again,  not,  of  corruptible  seed, 
but  of  incoi'ruptible,  by  the  word  of  God,  which  liveth 
and  abideth  forever." 

It  may  be  asked  if  there  be  not  a  divine  work  on  the 
soul  itself  necessary  before  the  word  can  have  an  effect, 
inasmuch  as  we  are  utterly  insensible  to  truth  before 
the  new  life  is  given  ?  Doubtless  we  are  so  insensible, 
until  by  the  Spirit  we  are  regenerated  ;  but  doubtless, 
also,  the  Holy  Ghost  works  always  as  the  Spirit  of 
Christ,  through  whose  merit  alone  the  giving  of  the 
new  life  is  justified ;  nay,  the  life  given  is  the  life  of 
Christ ;  Christ's  life  in  us  ;  "  Christ  in  us  the  hope  of 
glory  ;  "  "  Christ  formed  in  us."  We  may  not  limit  the 
sovereign  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost ;  and  that  he  does 
sometimes  sanctify  children  from  the  .womb,  grafting 
them  into  Christ  before  they  can  understand  the  truth, 
we  should  not  dare  to  deny  ;  but  it  is  certain  that  the 
Holy  Spirit,  with  persons  of  understanding,  ever  and 


Lect.XXIV.]         of   god,  the  HOLY   GHOST.  41 

(jiilv  works  by  the  truth.     He  prepares  the  soil  for  the 
seed,  and  the  seed  for  the  soil  ;  but  the  sowing  and  the 
preparation  of  the  soil,  so  far  as  we  can  see,  go  together. 
Nay,  there  is  a  penetrating  fitness  in  the  word  of  God, 
whence  it  is  called  "  the  sword  of  the  Spirit ;  "  and  "  tin- 
word  of  God  is  quick  and  powerful,  and  sharper  than 
any  two-edged  sword,   piercing  even   to   the    dividmg 
asunder  of  soul  and  spirit,  and  of  the  joints  and  mar- 
row, and  is  a  discerner  of  the  thoughts  and  intents  of 
the  heart."     Hence,  also,  the  necessity  of  "  preaching 
the  gospel  to  every  creature,"  for  it  is  when  Christ  is 
lifted  up  that  "  he  "draws  men  unto  him  "  by  his  Spirit. 
But  tiie  sword  must  be  wielded  and  directed  by  the 
almighty  hand  of  the  Spirit.     So  the  preaching  of  the 
irospel  ever  precedes  the  conversion  of  sinners.     Then, 
on  the  other  hand,  the  soul  receives  the  gospel,  and  life 
through  the  gospel  by  faith ;  and  faith  is  a  personal  act, 
though  a  gift   of  God.     So  our  Lord  :  "  He  that  be- 
lie veth  on  the  Son  hath  everlasting  life  ;  "  and  again, 
"  He  that  believeth  in  me,  though   he  were  dead,  yet 
shall    he    live  ;  "    and    several   scriptures  :    "  The  just 
shall  live  by  faith."      Which,  then,  precedes  in  regen- 
eration :  the  quickening  of   the  soul,   in  order   to   its 
faith,  or  the  application  of  the  gospel  to  the  soul   to 
draw   forth   its   faith?      Pardon    me,  my  questioning 
friend,  if  I  say  that  there  is  a  curious  inquisitiveness 
here  that  should  be  checked,  because  the  Scripture  has 
not  explained  the  mystery  to  us.     Contending  theolo- 
gians have  spent  a  Avorld  of  metaphysics  on  this  sub- 
ject in  vain,  except  to  show  the  weakness  of  the  strong- 
est.    All  generation  is  a  mystery,  —  life  in  its  begm- 
ning  and  its  actings  is  ever  a  mystery.      Why,  then, 
should  we  ask  respecting  spiritual  life,  the  regeneration 


42  OF  GOD,   THE  HOLY   GHOST.        [Lect.  XXIV. 

uf  the  soul,  "  liow  can  these  things  be  ?  "  It  is  enough 
for  us  to  know  that  the  Holy  Ghost  alone  regenerates 
the  sinner  by  uniting  him  to  the  life  of  Christ ;  or,  as 
our  Catechism  has  it,  by  making  us  partakers  of  Christ ; 
and  that  the  union  is  effected  by  faith,  which  is  his 
work.  "  He  makes  me,  by  a  true  faith,  partaker  of 
Christ."  For  faith  is  the  first  acting  of  the  new-born 
creature,  even  faith  clingino-  to  Christ  and  drawino; 
from  him  the  life  he  sends  through   the  soul. 

h.  Faith  is  the  bond,  if  I  may  so  speak,  of  the  in- 
grafting, and  the  ingrafting  is  the  work  of  the  Holy 
Ghost ;  but  through  faith  also  the  Holy  Ghost  carries 
on  the  work  of  salvation  which  is  by  Christ.  Christ, 
the  stem,  is  the  treasury  of  the  Holy  Spirit's  grace,  and 
in  consequence  of  the  ingrafting,  the  regenerated  soul 
is  made  partaker  -of  Christ's  benefits,  that  is,  the  ben- 
efits which  Christ  has  purchased  and  extends  to  the 
believer. 

Christ  was  not  only  conceived  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
but,  also,  when  he  publicly  assumed  his  office  of  our 
representative,  the  Holy  Ghost  came  down  upon  him, 
and  the  voice  of  the  Father  was  heard  from  heaven, 
saying  :  "  Tiiis  is  my  beloved  Son,  in  whom  I  am  well 
pleased.''  Mark,  he  speaks  not  thus  of  the  Son  in  his 
original  divinity  aloiife  ;  there  were  no  need  for  such 
testimony  ;  but  of  the  Son  incarnate,  as  our  head  and 
elder  brother  and  representative.  He  adopted,  —  or,  if 
you  like  not  the  term,  seeing  that  the  human  nature 
of  our  Lord  was  begotten  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  —  he 
acknowledged  the  man  Christ  Jesus  as  his  Son,  with 
t,he  Son  who  had  been  ever  from  eternity  his  only 
begotten. 

So   the  first  benefit  we  receive  from   our  union  to 


Lkct.  XXIV.]  OF   GOD,   THE  HOLY   GHOST.  43 

Christ,  is  adoption  of  the  Father,  a  participation  of  the 
sonship  of  Christ.  How  can  it  be  otherwise,  since  the 
behever  is  in  Christ,  the  Son,  than  that  he  must  also 
be  a  son  ?  He  is  made  one  with  Christ,  a  member  of 
his  body,  of  his  flesh,  and  of  his  bones,  deriving  from 
Christ  the  same  life  Christ  has,  life  derived  from  his 
sonship  to  God.  Hence  the  Holy  Ghost  in  this  work 
is  styled  "  the  Spirit  of  adoption,"  and  is  said  to  be  "  in 
our  hearts  the  Spirit  of  his  Son,  crying, '  Abba,  Father.' '" 
We  are  permitted,  nay,  urged  by  the  Spirit  of  Christ 
within  us  to  go  to  God,  asking  and  expecting  to  receive, 
as  dear  children,  all  the  blessings  which  God  loves  to 
bestow  upon  Christ  his  Son,  for  those  who  are  sons  in 
him.  Not  only  for  this  life,  but  infinitely  more  for, the 
life  to  come,  may  we  look  for  these  gracious  participa- 
tions with  Christ.  Hear  the  apostle :  "  As  many  as 
are  led  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  they  are  the  sons  of  God. 
For  ye  have  not  received  the  spirit  of  bondage  again 
to  fear ;  but  ye  have  received  the  Spirit  of  adoption 
whereby  ye  cry, '  Abba,  Father.'  The  Spirit  itself  bear- 
eth  witness  with  our  spirit,  that  we  are  the  children  of 
God  ;  and  if  children,  then  heirs  :  heirs  of  God,  and 
joint-heirs  with  Christ ;  if  so  be  that  we  suffer  with 
him,  that  we  may  be  also  glorified  together."  When 
Christ  was  on  earth,  he  obeyed  the  Father  through  all 
temptation  and  suffering,  deriving  strength  from  his 
Father  through  prayer  ;  now  that  he  is  in  glory,  he 
lives  in  full  satisfaction  at  the  right  hand  of  his  Father. 
So,  beloved  brethren,  if  we  have  the  evidence  of  being 
in  Christ  by  the  power  of  his  Spirit  in  us,  making  us 
obedient  through  all  trial,  and  prayerful  in  a  constant 
dependence  upon  God,  we  have  the  evidence  of  our 
adoption  by  God,  and  the  earnest  of  a  participation  in 


44  OF  GOD,   THE  HOLY  GHOST.        [Lect.  XXTT. 

Christ's  everlasting  joy.  Trial  is  but  an  evidence  of 
our  legitimacy,  and  of  our  Father's  faithfulness  educat- 
ing us  to  go  up  higher  even  to  his  holy  presence  among 
the  angels.  But  of  all  the  blessings  of  this  adoption, 
time  woidd  fail  us  to  speak. 

When  the  Father  acknowledged  our  Lord  to  be  his 
Son,  he  shed  down  upon  him  the  Holy  Ghost ;  and 
this  was  in  accordance  with  the  prophecy  :  "  The  Spirit 
of  the  Lord  shall  rest  upon  him,  the  spirit  of  wisdom 
and  understanding,  the  spirit  of  counsel  and  might,  the 
spirit  of  knowledge  and  of  the  fear  of  the  Lord." 
When  that  Spirit  came  down,  it  returned  not  again  but 
rested  upon  Christ,  entering  as  it  were  into  his  blessed 
person  and  abiding  there,  as  the  animating  spirit  of  all, 
of  each  of  his  members.  These,  then,  are  the  other 
inseparable  benefits  of  union  with  Christ. 

"  The  spirit  of  wisdom  and  understanding."  So  the 
apostle  prayed  for  his  brethren,  and  for  us,  "  that  the 
God  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  Father  of  glory, 
would  give  unto  "  them  "  the  spirit  of  wisdom  and  rev- 
elation In  the  knowledge  of  him,  (Christ,)  the  eyes  of 
"  their"  understanding  being  enlightened,  that  "they" 
might  know  what  is  the  hope  of  his  calling,  and  what 
the  riches  of  the  glory  of  his  inheritance  in  the  saints." 
Knowledoe  of  divine  truth  in  Christ  is  snven  unto  us 
by  participation  with  Christ  the  Word  and  the  wisdom 
of  God,  and  knowledge  which  we  could  not  acquire 
until  gifted  with  new  sight,  or  see  even  with  our  openetl 
eyes  unless  it  were  presented  to  us  by  the  Spirit  of 
Christ.  "  He  shall  take,"  said  the  Master  when  prom- 
ising "  the  Comforter,  which  is  the  Holy  Ghost,"  "  of 
the  things  of  the  Father  and  shew  them  unto  you." 
Yet  must  this  illumination  come  through  Christ,  for  no 


Lect.  XXIV.]         OF   GOD,   THE  HOLY   GHOST.  45 

man  knowetli  the  Son,  but  the  Father,  neitlier  knoweth 
any  man  the  Father,  save  the  Son  and  he  to  whomso- 
ever the  Son  shall  reveal  him." 

"  The  spirit  of  counsel  and  might."  The  apostle  says 
that  "  the  sons  of  God  are  led  by  the  Spirit  of  God." 
Not  only  are  they  illuminated  with  all  Christian  doc- 
trine, but  they  are  inspired  with  a  holy  prudence  such 
as  Christ  showed  in  his  life  for  all  their  Christian  con- 
duct. As  the  steps,  not  only  the  way  he  was  to  walk 
in,  but  even  the  steps,  each  step  he  was  to  take,  Avere 
ordered  by  the  Lord,  so  do  they  who  are  united  to 
Christ,  animated  by  his  spirit  of  sonship,  and  taught  the 
meaning  of  his  word,  hold  sweet  communion  with  him 
by  prayer,  and  receive  "  counsel  "  for  all  the  duties 
required  of  them,  whatever  be  their  difficulties  and 
trials.  They  follow  Christ,  nay,  he  walks  with  them, 
"reasoning  with  them  out  of  the  Scriptures  of  all 
things  concerning  himself,"  "  till  their  hearts  burn 
within  them."  Nor  is  it  "  counsel  "  only,  but  "  might." 
The  same  Holy  Spirit  that  upheld  the  humanity  of 
Christ,  while,  walking  according  to  the  divine  coun- 
sel, he  bore  the  burden  of  our  sins  on  toward  his 
cross  where  he  nailed  them  forever,  is  given  to  his 
people,  dwelling  in  them  as  a  power  from  on  hio-h, 
pervading  all  their  faculties,  and,  weak  as  they  are, 
making  them  strong  through  Christ's  strengthenincr 
them.  So  says  the  apostle  in  that  aforecited  prayer 
for  the  Ephesians,  "  That  ye  may  know  .  .  .  what  is 
the  exceeding  greatness  of  his  power  to  usward  who 
believe,  which  he  wrought  in  Christ  when  he  raised 
him  from  the  dead  and  set  him  at  his  own  rio-ht  hand 
in  the  heavenly  ])laces."  The  same  power  that  wrought 
in  Christ,  even  the  Holy  Ghost,  works  in  all  those  who 


46  OF   GOD,   THE  HOLY   GHOST.         [Lect.  XXIV. 

are  members  of  his  blessed  body,  quickening  them  as  he 
was  quickened,  strengthening  them  as  he  was  strength- 
ened, until,  like  him,  they  are  also  brought  safely  and 
triumphantly  to  sit  with  him  in  the  heavenly  places.  — 
(See  the  whole  connection  through  the  second  chapter 
of  Epliesians.) 

"  The  spirit  of  knowledge  and  the  fear  of  the  Lord." 
Just  in  proportion  as  we  know  the  truth,  the  hopes  it 
sets  before  us,  and  the  honorable  duties  it  requires  of 
us,  will  the  Spirit  of  adoption  make  us,  as  Christ  was, 
i-everent  of  our  Father's  will  and  constant  presence. 
How  shall  they  who  are  conscious  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
dwelling  within  them,  pollute  his  temple  !  How  shall 
he,  dwelling  within  them,  not  keep  their  thoughts  in 
"  a  constant  waiting  for  Christ?  "  "  He  that  shith  he 
abideth  in  Christ,  ought  himself  so  to  walk  even  as  he 
also  walked  ; "  and  the  rule  of  the  Saviour's  life,  as 
declared  by  the  apostle  at  the  Pentecost,  was  to  "  set 
the  Lord  alway  before  his  face." 

Here,  then,  we  see  that,  from  their  union  with  Christ 
by  the  grace  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  behevers  enjoy,  with 
the  benefits  of  adoption,  ilhunination,  and  strength,  a 
divine  sanctijieation  begun  with  their  new  birth,  carried 
on  through  all  their  experience  here,  and  sure  to  be 
made  perfect  where  Christ  is  now  perfect  in  his  king- 
dom on  high.  And  all  this  is  the  work  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  through  Christ  and  by  the  word  of  Christ ;  for 
the  Holy  Ghost  comes  to  us  only  through  Christ's 
meritorious  intercession  ;  and  he,  though  he  knows  all 
things,  knows  no  other  method  of  the  Spirit's  opera- 
tion but  through  the  gospel.  ''  Sanctify  them,"  prayed 
he  to  the  Father,  as  he  had  promised  his  disciples  that 
he   would  pray   for   the  Comforter,  —  "  sanctify  them 


Lect.  XXIV.]        OF  GOD,   THE  HOLY   GHOST.  47 

through  thy  truth,  thy  word  is  truth."  The  Spirit  of 
Christ  in  the  heart,  and  the  Spirit  of  Christ  in  the 
word,  unite  to  make  the  believer  of  the  truth  perfect 
in  Christ  Jesus. 

Two  points  remain  for  our  handhng,  Avhich  shall  be 
brief. 

2.  Religious  comfort.  , 

"  The  Holy  Ghost  is  given  me  that  he  may  com- 
fort me,"  says  the  believer  in  the  53rd  answer  of  the 
Catechism. 

He  must  h.ave  been  but  a  careless  reader  of  Scrip- 
ture, who  has  not  seen  how  full  it  is  of  promises  and 
revelations  of  comfort.  "  Comfort  ye,  comfort  ye  my 
people,  saith  your  God  ;  speak  ye  comfortably  to  Jeru- 
salem ;  "  was  the  language  of  prophecy  fulfilled  in  the 
gospel.  And  he  must  have  had  but  little  experience 
of  the  Christian  life,  who  does  not  feel  the  need  of 
constant  comfort  from  his  Father  in  heaven.  The 
preaching  of  Christ  was  almost  altogether  made  up  of 
comfortable  words  ;  his  last  sermon  to  his  disciples  at 
the  supper  was  of  nothing  else  ;  and  his  apostolic  suc- 
cessors followed  his  gracious  example.  So  an  eminent 
title  of  the  Holy  Ghost  is  "  The  Comforter  "  ;  and, 
although  the  original  term  may  have  other  meanings 
which  we  have  now  no  time  to  look  into,  Comforter  is 
a  true,  and  not  the  least  appropriate,  signification. 

The  believer  needs  comfort.  He  is  here  in  a  state, 
and  under  a  process  of  discipline,  chastened,  and  often 
sorely,  by  the  faithful  hand  of  his  wise  Father  ;  a  chas- 
tening often  compared  to  the  passing  of  precious  metals 
through  the  intense  heat  of  a  refiner's  furnace  ;  nay, 
sometimes,  to  crucifixion  itself.  His  Master  was  a  man 
of  sorrows,  and  he  must  drink  of  his  Master's  cup,  and 


18  OF   GOD,   THE  HOLY   GHOST.        [Lect.  XXIV. 

be  baptized  with  his  Master's  baptism.  Does  he  not 
need  comfort  ? 

He  has  to  endure  "  tlie  contradiction  of  sinners " 
against  Christ  and  himself  as  a  follower  of  Christ.  His 
good  name  impeached,  his  motives  perverted,  his  faith- 
fulness ridiculed  and  denied  ;  yes,  his  life's  life  sworn 
away  by  cruel,  downright  lies,  as  was  Christ's.  He  sees 
the  sius  of  men  against  his  God,  and  "  rivers  of  water 
run  down  his  eyes,  because  men  keep  not  God's  law." 
He  beholds  Christ's  cause  wounded  in  the  house  of  his 
friends  by  the  inconsistencies  of  Christians,  the  teach- 
ings of  error  in  doctrine  and  morals,  until  his  heart 
bleeds  with  anguish.     Does  he  not  need  comfort  ? 

But  most  of  all  he  is  humbled  and  in  agony  because 
of  his  own  sins  ;  the  body  of  sin  and  death  about  him, 
the  world  that  lies  in  wickedness  around  him,  and  the 
malicious  tempter  ever  active  in  assailing  or  seducing, 
or  entrapping  him.  His  heart  is  still  at  times  "  an  evil 
heart  of  unbelief,"  at  all  times  "  deceitful  above  all 
things."     Does  he  not  need  comfort  ? 

But  he  has  it  in  Christ,  and  by  the  Holy  Ghost 
through  Christ,  and  our  previous  learning  tells  us  how. 

He  is  united  to  Christ  by  a  bond  close,  tender,  and 
never  to  be  broken.  Every  form  of  trouble  he  is 
called  to  know,  Christ  passed  through,  exce])t  the  con- 
sciousness of  sin,  and  the  Redeemer  was  sorely  bur- 
dened with  our  imputed  guilt.  The  Saviour  has  united 
him  to  himself  He  has  Christ's  sympathy.  O  blessed 
thought !  Christ  knows  all  he  suffers,  knows  what  will 
relieve  it,  knows  how  to  turn  it  to  his  profit.  He  has 
Christ's  teachings  —  all  his  faithful  word,  all  his  precious 
promises,  all  his  gracious  directions.  The  Hoh''  Ghost 
brings   them   to  him,  enables  him  to  read  them,  to  un- 


Lect.  XXIV.]         OF   GOD,   THE  HOLY   GHOST.  49 

derstand  them,  to  make  them  his  own.  He  has  Christ's 
strength  to  uphold  him.  The  strong  right  arm  is 
thrown  around  liim,  and  in  the  darkest  hour  and 
through  the  deepest  floods  Christ  is  by  his  side,  whis- 
pering in  the  feeble  breathings  of  friend  consoling  his 
friend  :  "  Fear  not,  I  am  with  thee."  "  Let  not  thy 
heart  be  troubled."  "  My  rod  and  my  staff  they  shall 
comfort  thee."  And  all  this  is  by  the  power  of  the 
Holy  Ghost  uniting  him  to  Christ,  his  living,  divine 
glorified  head. 

He  is  adopted  of  the  Father.  By  his  union  to 
Christ,  he  is  a  child  of  him  in  whose  hand  are  all 
things,  who  withholds  from  him  nothing  that  is  for  his 
good,  and  counts  all  things  his,  as  he  sees  he  has  need. 
His  sufferings  are  not  punishments  but  chastenings,  all 
signs  of  a  divine  love  and  of  a  preparation  for  glory. 
So  he  looks  up  beyond  his  troubles,  and  sees  his 
Father's  loving,  pitying  eye,  and  says  :  "  It  is  well !  " 
"  Let  him  do  what  seemeth  him  good  !  "  Blessed  be  his 
name  !  Only  let  my  sufferings  make  me  like  him  who 
suffered  for  me ;  and  from  my  cross  take  me.  Lord,  into 
thy  kingdom  ! 

He  has  the  witness  of  the  Spirit,  and  it  is  the  ear- 
nest of  his  inheritance  ;  shedding  by  its  sanctifying  grace 
the  sweet  assurance  of  hope  that  there  is  a  rest  remain- 
ing for  him  ;  an  inheritance  where  shall  be  no  more 
sorrow,  nor  pain,  nor  temptation,  because  there  shall 
be  no  more  sin.  This  is  enough  to  turn  his  sorrow  into 
joy,  his  shame  into  glory,  his  prayers  into  thanks. 
"  For  I  reckon,"  says  he,  "  that  the  sorrows  of  this 
present  time  are  not  worthy  to  be  compared  to  the 
glory  that  shall  be  revealed  in  us." 

Nor  is  his  least  comfort  derived  from  that  which  our 

VOL.    II.  4 


50  OF  GOD,  THE  HOLY  GHOST.        [Lect.  XXIV. 

instructor  makes  a  third  particular  of  the  Holy  Spirit's 
blessinof :  eternal  indwellino;. 

"  The  Holy  Ghost  is  given  me  that  ...  he  may 
abide  with  me  forever."  What  were  he  without  the 
Holy  Ghost  ?  without  his  grace  keeping  him  united  to 
Christ,  shedding  the  boldness  and  reverence  of  the 
adoption  through  his  heart,  opening  to  him  the  sweet 
Scriptures,  and  opening  his  eyes  to  read  them  ;  strength- 
ening his  heart  with  an  eternal  life  that  sends  love 
throbbing  along  all  his  veins  ;  nay,  sanctifying  his  soul 
with  holy  thoughts  and  desires  and  purposes,  the  sure 
presages,  the  actual  foretastes  of  heaven  itself?  What 
were  he,  if  ever  that  Holy  Spirit  were  taken  from  him  ? 
if  he  were  left  to  fall  from  Christ  into  his  blindness 
and  sin  and   death  ? 

But  the  Spirit  will  not  depart.  The  same  faithful 
master  who  promised  the  Comforter,  and  has  sent  him 
according  to  his  promise,  said ;  "  He  shall  abide  with 
you  forever."  "  I  will  never  leave  thee  nor  forsake 
thee."  As  he  abode  in  Christ,  so  will  he  abide  in  the 
Christian,  until  he  follows  Christ  on  and  on  through 
trial  and  conflict,  down  through  the  dark  valley,  and 
then  into  the  glory. 

Nor  then  will  the  Comforter  depart,  for  heaven  is 
full  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  Shall  the  Father  delight  in 
his  perfect  children,  shall  the  Son  rejoice  as  he  sees  his 
own  likeness  in  all  his  sanctified  brotherhood,  and  the 
Holy  Ghost,  who  made  the  Father's  purpose  and  the 
Son's  work  efficient,  not  have  his  peculiar  satisfaction  ? 
No  !  He  shall  abide  with  them,  in  them  forever  ;  for- 
ever opening  new  dejDths  in  their  glorified  faculties,  and 
filling  them  with  new  revelations  of  God's  infinite 
riches  ;  forever  leading  them  to  new  methods  of  happy 


Lect.  XXIV.]        OF   GOD,   THE  HOLY   GHOST.  51 

obedience,  and  inspiring  new  strength  for  the  unprece- 
dented privileges  of  service  above  ;  forever  transform- 
ing into  a  closer  likeness  to  God,  and  changing  them 
into  the  same  image  from  glory  unto  glory.  Even  as 
they  walk  among  the  trees  of  life,  the  clear  waters  of 
the  river  of  life,  which  are  the  influences  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  shall  flow  sparkling,  deep  and  full  for  their  taste 
and  their  bathing  in  bliss  ;  and  as  they  draw  near  to 
cast  their  crowns  at  their  master's' feet,  and  bask  in  the 
radiance  of  the  Father's  love,  as  together  Father  and 
Son  sit  on  the  throne,  the  Holy  Ghost  shall  flow  fortli 
in  waters  of  joy  and  holiness  and  peace ;  and  the 
united  Three  receive  his  homage,  his  praises,  and  his 
thanks  ! 

O  blessed  ai'e  they  who  know  that  there  is  a  Holy 
Ghost,  thrice  blessed  they  in  whom  he  dwells  !  Yea, 
blessed  forever ! 


LECTURE  XXV. 

THE  HOLY  CATHOLIC  CHURCH,  THE  COfflUNION 
OF  SAINTS. 


TWENTY-FIRST  LORD'S  DAY. 

THE    HOLY    CATHOLIC    CHURCH,    THE 
COMMUNION   OF   SAINTS. 

Quest.  LIV.  What  believest  ihou  concerning  the  "  Holy  Catholic  Church  " 
of  Christ  f 

Ans.  That  the  Son  of  God,  from  the  beginning  to  the  end  of  the  world, 
gathers,  defends,  and  preserves  to  himself  by  his  Spirit  and  word,  out 
of  the  whole  Imman  race,  a  church  chosen  to  everlasting  life,  agreeing 
in  true  faith;  and  that  I  am,  and  forever  shall  remain,  a  living  member 
thereof. 

Quest.  LV.      What  do  you  understand  by  "  the  Communion  of  Saints  ''  ?  ^ 

Ans.  First,  that  all  and  every  one  who  believes,  being  members  of  Christ, 
are,  in  common,  partakers  of  him,  and  of  all  his  riches  and  gifts;  sec- 
ondly, that  every  one  must  know  it  to  be  his  duty  readily  and  cheer- 
fully to  employ  his  gifts  for  the  advantage  and  salvation  of  other 
members. 

I 

THE  history  of  the  Creed,  especially  before  the  close 
of  the  fourth  century,  is  obscure  ;  but  we  may  be- 
lieve that  the  more  ancient  copies  ended  with  the  arti- 
cle on  the  Holy  Ghost,  as  it  was  evidently  an  en- 
largement of  the  formula  prescribed  for  baptism  :  "  In 
the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the 
Holy  Ghost."  And,  truly,  as  we  have  discovered  from 
our  previous  studies,  the  true  doctrine  of  God,  Father, 
Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  comprehends  all  that  is  essential 
to  saving  faith.  Subsequently,  to  answer  the  questions 
of  inquirers,  and  to  rebuke  error,  it  became  expedient 
to  add  the  four  other  articles  which  set  forth  the  great 
blessings  consequent  upon  faith  in  God,  Father,  Son, 
and    Holy    Ghost,    viz:    The    establishment     of    the 


56  THE  HOLY  CATHOLIC   CHURCH,       [Lect.  XXV. 

church  and  the  communion  of  saints ;  the  forgiveness 
of  sins ;  the  resurrection  of  the  body ;  and  the  hfe 
everlasting;. 

In  the  most  ancient  copy  we  have  of  the  creed  of 
the  Roman  church,  we  find  neither  "  the  communion 
of  saints,''  nor  "  the  life  everlasting  "  ;  but  "  the  com- 
munion of  saints  "  is,  clearly,  a  further  statement  of 
"  the  church  ";  and  "  the  life  everlasting"  of  "  the  res- 
urrection." In  some  copies,  the  article  on  the  church 
was  placed  at  the  end,  and  "  the  communion  of  saints  " 
was  inserted  last  of  all.  The  ej)ithet  "  catholic,"  after 
"  holy,"  before  "  chui'ch,"  was  also  of  comparatively 
late  date,  not  occurring  in  the  oldest  copy  of  the 
Roman  symbol,  and  having  been  supplied  to  teach  the 
unity  of  the  true  church,  though  divided  into  many 
particular  churches,  all  holding  the  same  faith.  Finally, 
by  general  consent,  the  creed  obtained  its  present 
order,  which  is  the  most  proper ;  for  "  the  forgiveness 
of"  our  "  sins  "  is  assured  to  us  on  our  union  to  Christ's 
true  body,  his  church  ;  "  the  resurrection  of  the  body" 
is  the  fulness  of  our  personal  adoption,  and  the  heavenly 
"  life  "  which  follows  our  triumph  over  death  and  the 
0;rave,  is  "  everlastincr." 

It  is  also  proper  to  note  a  variation  of  the  creed,  as 
we  have  it  in  the  Catechism  before  us,  from  the  copy 
in  our  communion  service.  There  we  read :  "  I  believe 
in  the  Holy  Ghost,  the  holy  catholic  church,"  etc. 
Here  it  is  :  "  I  believe  in  the  Holy  Ghost.  I  believe 
in  the  holy  catholic  church,"  etc., — "I  believe  in" 
being  inserted  before  the  church.  The  form,  as  it  is  in 
the  communion  service,  is  that  of  the  Roman  Breviary 
(where  it  is  styled  "  the  Apostles'  Creed  "),  and  has 
been  adopted,  with  two  exceptions,  by  all  the  Protes- 


Lect.  XXV.]        THE  COMMUNION  OF   SAINTS.  57 

tant  cliurclies,  especially  by  the  Church  of  England, 
and  the  Presbyterian,  following  the  Westminster  As- 
sembly. The  exceptions  are  the  French  and  the  Dutch 
Reformed  churches.  Both  of  these  insert  the  additional 
"  I  believe,"  which  is  after  the  version  of  the  Greek 
church;  but  neither  of  them  have  the  word  "in." 
They  say,  "  I  believe  an  holy  catholic  church."  The 
preposition  "  in  "  seems  to  be  wholly  without  authority, 
not  being  found  in  either  the  Dutch,  German,  or  Latin 
copies  ;  and  its  presence  here  can  be  accounted  for  only 
by  the  criminal  carelessness  of  the  American  translator 
or  editor.  Nay,  it  is  in  direct  contradiction  to  many 
pious  commentators  on  the  creed,  who  solemnly  call 
upon  lis  to  mark  the  distinction  between  that  faith 
which  is  in  the  three  adorable  persons  of  the  Godhead, 
and  that  which  simply  recognizes  the  fact  of  the  church 
and  its  covenanted  blessings.*  There  is,  perhaps,  i;n- 
necessary  stress  laid  upon  this  distinction,  but  it  shows 
that  the  interpolation  of  our  transcriber  is  censurable 
and  should  be  removed. 

Let  us  now  learn  the  doctrine  which  we  are  to  re- 
ceive concerning  the  church,  and  this  may  be  opened 
agreeably  to  the  54th  Question  and  Answer  under  the 
several  names  by  which  it  is  described. 

1.  "  The  .  .  .  church."  2.  "  The  holy  .  .  church." 
3.  "  The  holy  catholic  church." 

1.  "  The  church."       Our  word  church  is  probably 

*  Witsius  in  loc,  sa3's:  "Had  the  words  run:  '7  believe  in  the  Holy 
GJwst,  the  holy  catholic  church,''  it  would  have  been  difficult  to  connect  the 
words  '  /  believe  '  with  '  the  holy  catholic  church,''  so  as  to  suppress  the  par- 
ticle in.  This,  however,  was  necessary;  for  a  faith  is  exercised  with  regard 
to  the  church  in  a  manner  veiy  different  from  that  in  which  it  is  exercised 
with  regard  to  God.  The  church  is  a  society  of  creatures  in  whom,  whethet 
collectively  or  individually,  it  is  criminal  to  repose  the  confidence  of 
faith." 


58  THE  HOLY  CATHOLIC  CHURCH,        [Lect.  XXV. 

first  composed  and  then  contracted  from  two  Greek 
words,  signifying,  The  House  of  the  Lord  (Kvpcov 
oIkos)  ;  but  the  word  which  it  translates  throughout 
the  New  Testament  is  eedesia  (cKKA-i^crta),  which  is 
peculiar  to  the  later  Scriptures  ;  and  the  first  use  of  it 
is  in  the  Evangelist  Matthew's  version  of  our  Lord's 
saying  to  Peter :  "  On  this  rock  I  will  build  my 
church  "  (xvi.  18). 

The  Greek  term  was  applied  by  the  Athenians  to 
signify  an  assembly  of  citizens  (not  the  fifteenth  part 
of  the  population)  called  out  of  the  mass  for  civil  func- 
tions by  the  herald  or  official  crier.  So  the  gospel  is 
said  to  be  proclaimed  as  by  heralds  sent  of  God,  (x^p^o-- 
o-eLv,  to  preach,)  Jesus  himself  being  the  first  (Matt, 
viii.  17).  Those  who  are  truly  chosen  of  God  hear 
and  obey  the  heavenly  voice,  ("  Every  one  that  is  of 
the  truth  heareth  my  voice,"  John  xviii.  37 ;)  sepa- 
rating themselves  from  the  world  unto  citizenship  of 
the  divine  commonwealth  or  kingdom  ;  and  hence  are 
denominated  eclect,  or,  as  we  take  the  term  from  the 
Latin,  elect,  that  is,  called  out,  selected  from  the  rest  of 
the  world.  Thus  we  read,  (Rev.  xvii.  14,)  "  They 
that  are  with  him  (the  Lamb)  are  called  (xXyjrot)^ 
chosen  (eKK-AeK-roi,^,  and  faithful."  They  were  more  than 
"  called,"  they  were  eclected.  It  is  to  this  eclection  of 
citizens  that  the  apostle  alludes,  when,  speaking  of  the 
Gentile  believers,  who,  when  "  without  Christ,"  were 
"  aliens  from  the  commonwealth  (TroAtTcta?,  citizenship) 
of  Israel,"  he  says  :  "  Christ  Jesus  .  .  .  came  and 
preached  peace  to  you  which  were  afar  off,  and  to  them 
that  are  nigh.  .  .  .  Now,  therefore,  ye  are  no  more 
strangers  and  foreigners,  but  fellow-citizens  of  the  saints 
and  of  the  household  of  God  (oiKctot  rot  ^eov),  (Ephes. 


lkct.  xxv.j      the  communion  of  saints.  59 

ii.  11-19).     They  had  now  a  right  to  enter  the  assem- 
bly (^iKKXrjaLo)  or  chiirch.      So  our  Catechism  bids  us 
say ;  "'That  the  Son  of    God  .   .   gathers  .   .  to  him- 
self by  his    Spirit   and    his    word,   out    of   the    whole 
human  race,  a  church  chosen  to  everlasting  life."     All 
who  are  effectually  called  (that  is,  by  the  Spirit  in  their 
hearts,  as  well  as  by  the  word  in  their  ears),  and  so 
obey  the  gospel    as  to   separate   themselves   from  the 
world  unto  God  through  Christ,  belong  to  his  church, 
which  in   several   scriptures  is,  as  you  know,   termed 
"  his  body,"  —  that  is,  a  body  of  which  he  is  the  head. 
It  is  evident  that  the  bond  of  this  citizenship,  the  cor- 
porating  principle  uniting  each  to  Christ,   and  all  to 
each  other,  must  he  faith,  as  the  Catechism  has  it :  "A 
church  .  .  agreeing  in  true  faith."  They  are  "  called  " 
by  the  gospel,  which  is  a  proclamation  of  pardon  and 
grace  through  Jesus  Christ ;  it  is  because  they  are  "  of 
the  truth  "  that  they  hear  and  obey  the  divine  call ; 
and,  when  brought  into  the  (eKKXeo-ta)  church,  they  ai'e 
ruled  and  estabhshed  by  the  truth  as  it  is  in   Jesus. 
Thus  the  apostle  in   the  aforecited  chapter  of   Ephe- 
sians  :  "  Ye  are  fellow-citizens  with  the  saints,  and  of 
the  household  of  God ;  and  are  built  upon  the  founda- 
tion of  the   apostles  and  prophets,  (that  is,  the  truth 
they  testified  to,)  Jesus  Christ  himself  being  the  chief 
corner-stone."      So,  also,   (1  Cor.  i.  2,  3,)  the  apostle 
offers  Christian  salutation  to  "  the  church  of  God  which 
is    at    Corinth,  to    them    that  are  sanctified  in  Christ 
Jesus,  called  to  be  saints,  with  all  that  in  every  place  call 
upon  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord,  both  theirs 
and  ours."     All  who  acknowledge  Christ  as  their  Lord 
(which  no  one  can  truly  do  but  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  1 
Cor.  xii.  3),  and  profess  his  doctrine  as  delivered  b;y 


60  THE  HOLY  CATHOLIC  CHURCH,       [Lect.  XXV. 

the  apostles  and  prophets,  belong  to,  and  are  united  in, 
the  church  of  Christ.  Nor  may  we  confine  this 
church  to  those  who  have  believed  since  the  advent 
of  Christ.  The  gospel  had  been  declared,  imper- 
fectly indeed,  but  with  increasing  light  ever  since 
the  fall,  when  the  first  promise,  that  of  "  the  seed  of 
the  woman,"  was  given  ;  it  was  the  "  Spirit  "  of  Christ 
which  in  Noah  "  preached  "  to  the  antediluvian  sinners 
"  while  the  ark  was  a-preparing  "  (compare  1  Pet.  iii. 
13,  14,  and  2  Pet.  ii.  5).  The  apostle  (Gal.  iii.  8,  17) 
says  expressly  that  the  gospel  was  preached  unto  Abra- 
ham "  four  hundred  and  thirt}'  years  "  before  the  law  ; 
the  design  of  both  the  epistle  to  the  Galatians  and  that 
to  the  Hebrews  is  to  show  that  the  gospel  was  couched 
in  all  the  cei'emonies  of  the  Levitical  law.  Jesus,  our 
master,  during  his  memorable  walk  with  the  two  disci- 
ples to  Emmaus,  "  beginning  at  Moses  and  all  the 
prophets,  expounded  unto  them  in  all  the  Scriptures, 
the  things  concerning  himself; "  and  the  writer  to  the 
Hebrews,  in  his  eleventh  chapter,  combines  in  a  com- 
mon, justifying  faith  all  who  believed  those  revelations 
of  eternal  life  by  a  salvation  promised.  Hence  were 
they  of  the  Old  Testament  united  by  faith  in  the  same 
doctrine  with  those  of  the  New,  as  members  of  the  true 
church.  So  our  Catechism  :  "  The  Son  of  God  from  the 
beginning  to  the  end  of  the  world  gathers  .  .  to  himself 
by  his  Spirit  and  word  out  of  the  whole  human  race,  a 
chui'ch  chosen  to  everlasting  life,  agreeing  in  true  faith  " 
You  will  have  observed  that  this  church  is  an  assem- 
bly, a  citizenship  of  believers,  of  whom  Christ  is  the 
head,  and  that  the  bond  of  their  union  is  the  personal 
faith  of  each  member  in  Christ ;  so  that  the  pretensions 
of  the  papists,  and  of  kindred  sectaries,  who  place  the 


Lect.  XXV.]         THE  COMMUNION   OF   SAINTS.  61 

church  in  the  clergy  or  other  ecclesiastical  officers,  are 
most  preposterous.  Were  there  no  clergy  on  earth, 
there  would  not  be  less  a  true  church  of  all  who  believe 
in  Christ. 

2.  "  The  holy  .  .  church."      Holy  has  two    senses 
not  inconsistent  with  each  other :  one,  that  of  freedom 
from,  or  of  superiority  to,  moral  evil,  —  as  the  Holy 
Ghost ;  the  other,  that  of  being  set  apart  to  God  and 
his  service,  as  were  the  vessels  of  the  temple,  the  tem- 
ple itself,   and  the   whole  nation   of  Israel.     When  a 
moral  creature  sets  himself  apart  to  the  divine  service, 
he  becomes  morally  holy  in  the  degree  that  he  is  con- 
sistent with  the  dedication.      So  God  says  to  us  :  "  Be 
ye  holy,  for  I  am  holy."     Saint  or  sanctified  is  synon- 
ymous with  holy,  being  the  Latin  form   of  the  word. 
Thus  our  Lord  says :  "  For  their  sakes  I  sanctify  my- 
self (^.  e.  dedicate  myself  to  God  in  my  atoning  work), 
that  they  also   might  be    sanctified  (i.  e.  set  apart  to 
God's  service)  through  the  truth."      And  the  apostle 
speaks  of  those  that  are  "  sanctified  in   Christ  Jesus, 
called  to  be  saints.""      It  is  in  this  latter  sense  that  the 
church  of  God  is  holy  :  it  is  sanctified  or  set  apart,  and 
belongs  to  God  in  Christ.     The  church  is  Christ's  own  ; 
by  his  choice,  by  his  purchase,  by  his  calling,  by  his 
sealing  to  his  service  :  "  Who  gave  himself  for  us  that 
he  might  redeem  us  from  all  iniquities,  and  purify  unto 
himself  a  peculiar  people  (a  people  his  oiV7i),  zealous 
of  good  works."     The  church  and  each  member  of  it 
is  set  apart  to  the  service  of  the  divine  glory  in  Christ, 
and    all    his    gracious    operations   toward    and   in   the 
church,  and  each  believer,  are  for  that  supreme  end. 
So  the  Catechism  :  "  The  Son  of  God,  from  the  begin- 
ning to  the  end  of  the  world,  gathers,  defends,  and  pre- 


62  THE  HOLY  CATHOLIC   CHURCH,      [Lect.  XXV- 

serves  to  liimself  by  his  Spirit  and  word,  out  of  the 
whole  human  race,  a  church  chosen  to  everlasting  life, 
agreeing  in  true  faith."  The  truth,  faith  in  which  is 
the  bond  of  its  union,  is  the  means  of  its  sanctification ; 
whence,  also,  true  faith  is,  from  its  very  nature,  fruitfid 
of  holy  living ;  and  no  one,  who  does  not  sanctify  him- 
self to  the  service  of  God  in  Christ,  has  evidence  that 
he  belongs  to  his  holy  church. 

Because  of  this  eclection  or  grafting  into  Christ,  the 
church  is  holy  before  God.  Not  that  every  or  any 
member  of  it  is  pure  and  blameless  in  his  own  charac- 
ter, (for  even  Paul,  after  he  had  been  long  an  apostle, 
confessed  himself  "  chief  of  sinners,")  but  because  the 
believer  is  washed  from  the  guilt  of  his  sins  by  the 
blood  of  Christ,  and  is  so  covered  by  the  righteousness 
of  Christ,  his  infinite  surety,  that  God  is  well  pleased 
with  him  for  Christ's  sake  ;  as  the  apostle  says  :  "  Be- 
ing justified  by  faith,  we  have  peace  with  God  through 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ "  ;  and  "  There  is  now  no  con- 
demnation to  them  which  are  in  Christ  Jesus,  who  walk 
not  after  the  flesh,  but  after  the  spirit."  Thus  to  sanc- 
tify the  church  was  the  purpose  of  Christ's  atonement. 
"  Christ  also  loved  the  church  and  gave  himself  for  it  ; 
that  he  might  sanctify  and  cleanse  it  with  the  washing 
of  the  word  (i.  e.  the  application  of  the  gospel)  ;  that 
he  might  present  it  to  himself,  a  glorious  church  not 
having  spot  or  Avrinkle,  or  any  such  thing  ;  but  that  it 
should  be  holy  and  without  blemish."  As  the  individ- 
ual believer  is  perfect  in  Christ  Jesus  from  the  impu- 
tation of  Christ's  righteousness,  so  is  the  entire  church. 

There  is,  besides,  a  real  or  actual  sanctification  of 
the  church  by  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  which  is 
the  seal  of  its  union  with   Christ.     The  sinner,  on  be- 


Lkct.  XXV.]         THE  COMMUNION   OF   SAINTS.  63 

coming  by  faith  a  member  of  Christ's  body,  is  sepa- 
rat-ed  from  sinners  not  only  in  form  but  in  principles 
of  life.  He  has  a  "  new  heart "  given  to  him,  and'  a 
"  right  spirit  "  put  within  him.  The  Holy  Spirit,  hav- 
ino;  thus  begun  his  moral  transformation,  carries  it  on 
sui'ely,  though  gradually,  to  perfection,  enlightening 
his  mind  with  the  truth,  sweetly  constraining  him  by 
the  love  of  God  to  obey  the  truth,  strengthening  him 
against  temptation,  and  comforting  him  under  all  afflic- 
tions through  the  truth  ;  so  that,  at  the  great  coming 
of  the  Lord  Jesus,  he  is  sanctified  "  wholly,  body,  soul, 
and  spirit."  What  is  true  of  the  individual  members 
is  true  of  the  whole  church.  "  Christ  also  loved  the 
church  and  gave  himself  for  it ;  that  he  might  sanctify 
and  cleanse  with  the  washing  of  water  hy  the  word, 
that  he  might  present  it  to  himself  a  glorious  church, 
not  having  spot  or  wrinkle  or  any  such  thing  ;  but  that 
it  should  be  holy,  and  without  blemish."  —  Ephes.  v. 
25-27. 

The  church,  thus  chosen  and  called  of  God  in  Christ, 
sanctified  and  upheld  by  God  in  Christ,  is  forever  safe 
with  God  in  Christ,  ordained  unto  everlasting  life.  So 
the  Catechism :  "  The  Son  of  God  .  .  gathers,  de- 
fends, and  preserves  unto  himself  .  .  a  church,  chosen 
to  everlasting  life." 

3.  "  The  holy  catholic  church."  Catholic  is  not  a 
scriptural  word,  though,  after  a  time,  much  used  by 
ecclesiastical  M-riters.  It  is  compounded  of  two  Greek 
words,  signifying  through  all;  and,  among  the  few 
classics  who  employ  it,  has  the  exact  sense  of  universal. 
After  the  Pentecost,  we  find  all  the  "  called  of  God" 
then  living,  assembled  at  Jerusalem.  This  company 
of  believers,  baptized  and  communicating  in  the  break- 


64  THE  HOLY  CATHOLIC   CHURCH,        [Lect.  XXV. 

ing  of  bread,  was  then  tlie  Christian  church.  But,  as 
the  gospel  spread  itself,  and  believers  became  not  only 
very  numerous  but  widely  separated,  it  was  necessary 
for  Christians  to  organize  themselves  in  smaller  compa- 
nies ;  whence,  it  is  easy  to  see,  the  name  of  churches 
was  given  to  such  families  of  the  faith  :  as  the  church 
at  or  of  Antioch,  Rome,  Corinth,  Ephesus,  Thessalon- 
ica.  These  several  churches,  subject  to  one  divine 
head,  and  to  the  apostles  appointed  by  him,  holding  the 
same  faith,  and  observing  the  same  sacraments,  and 
maintaining  the  same  discipline,  were  otherwise  inde- 
pendent, so  far  as  authority  was  concerned,  of  each 
other,  except  as  they  Avere  brought  under  the  direction 
of  a  "  presbytery"  or  combination  of  elders,  distinct 
traces  of  which  are  discoverable  in  the  apostolical  writ- 
ings. Where  there  was  need  of  more  general  consul- 
tation respecting  some  mooted  point,  a  council  was 
called  ;  but  the  purpose  of  such  council  was  specific, 
and  its  organization  temporary. 

However  convenient,  or,  if  you  will,  necessary,  for 
greater  usefulness  such  combinations  as  general  synods, 
or  general  assemblies,  or  dioceses  may  be,  they  are 
merely  conventional  arrangements,  such  as  the  word  of 
God  leaves  Christians  to  form  as  most  expedient  in  the 
various  exigencies  that  arise.  The  New  Testament 
recognizes  nothing  but  a  church  and  a  presbytery. 
There  was,  however,  a  vital  bond  uniting  all  true 
Christians  and  all  minor  churches,  viz :  '■'' faith  in  the 
common  doctrine  of  Christ  and  the  apostles."  The 
church  was  not  divided,  but  remained  one  body  of 
Christ,  though  of  many  members.  Hence  the  gradual 
adoption  of  a  common  symbol,  or  creed,  or  belief,  by 
tiie  mutual  acknowledgment  of  which  professing  Chris- 


Lect.  XXV.]         THE  COMMUNION  OF  SAINTS.  Q5 

tians  might  recognize  each  other  throughout  the  world, 
however  separated  under  their  particular  organizations. 
This  creed  set  forth  the  main  and  essential  doctrine  of 
God,  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  as  declared  to  the 
church  for  salvation,  but  touched  no  matters  about 
which  Christians  might,  without  fatal  error,  hold  vari- 
ous opinions.  The  devil,  however,  soon  was  busy  in 
distracting  the  church,  and,  under  pretence  of  superior 
purity,  excited  harsh  and  pragmatical  spirits  to  with- 
hold Christian  communion  from  those  who,  tliough 
holding  the  great  arti(*les  of  the  faith,  differed  from 
them  in  less  important  particulars.  This  was  especially 
the  case  with  the  Donatists,  a  body  of  Christians  in 
Afi'ica,  who,  it  is  said  (though  too  much  credence 
should  not  be  allowed  to  historians  of  the  period),  con- 
ceivincr  themselves  to  be  wronged  in  some  matter  of 
church  government,  withdrew  themselves  from  fellow- 
ship with  their  opponents.  This  schism  occurred  in  the 
earlier  part  of  the  fourth  century,  and  it  is  thought  that 
about  the  same  time  the  word  "  catholic  "  was  inserted 
after  "  holy  "  and  before  "  church."  The  object  of  the 
interpolation  was  not,  therefore,  to  set  up  exclusive 
claims  for  any  particular  sect  or  body  of  Christians, 
however  numerous  or  powerful,  but,  on  the  contrary, 
as  the  word  itself  shows,  to  repudiate  and  oppose  such 
bigotry  by  acknowledging  all  who  receive  the  doctrine 
set  forth  in  the  Creed  after  the  word  of  God  as  true 
members  of  the  one  church  of  Christ.  The  very  cor- 
rupt, if  not  utterly  spurious,  Church  of  Rome,  grasping 
after  dominion  over  all  Christendom,  has  usurped  this 
epithet  of  "  catholic,"  and  denounces  all  who  deny  her 
impious  pretensions  as  in  damnable  schism  from  the 
body  of  Christ.     On  this,  Seeker,  Archbisliop  of  Can- 

VOL.  II.  5 


Q6  THE  HOLY  CATHOLIC   CHURCH,        [Lect.  XXV. 

terbury,  admirably  observes  :  "It  is  no  more  than  as  if 
one  diseased  limb,  perhaps  the  larger  for  being  diseased, 
can  be  the  whole  body  of  a  man  ;  and  by  attempting 
to  exclude  us,  they  take  the  direct  way  to  exclude 
themselves ;  unless  God  impute  their  uncharitable  way 
of  thinking  and  acting,  as  we  hope  he  will,  to  excusa- 
ble ignorance  and  mistake.  The  Church  of  England 
pretends  not  to  be  the  whole  catholic  church,  but  is 
undoubtedly  a  sound  member  of  it ;  so  that  we  have 
much  better  ground  to  call  ourselves  catholics  than 
they,  were  such  names  worth  disputing  about,  which 
they  are  not."  I  quote  these  words  of  that  eminent 
dignitary  of  the  Episcopal  church,  to  show  that  the  ex- 
clusive pretensions,  which  have  been  and  are  daily  so 
arrogantly  flaunted  in  our  faces  by  other  members  of 
his  sect,  make  no  part  of  their  own  church  doctrines, 
but  are  as  widely  different  from  the  Christian  senti- 
ments of  not  a  few  of  its  most  distinguished  doctors, 
as  they  are  from  true  charity  and  religious  decency. 
The  true  catholic  acknowledges  all  who  acknowledge 
Jesus  Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  to  be,  by  the  appoint- 
ment of  the  Father,  and  the  grace  of  the  divine  Spirit, 
their  only  Lord  and  Saviour.  They  who  make  the 
church  more  narrow  than  this,  practically  disown  this 
article  of  the  Creed.  They  have  no  right  to  repeat  it ; 
but  utter  an  untruth  when  they  do  so.  Nay,  they  ex- 
clude themselves  from  the  catholic  church  and  from 
the  communion  of  saints,  as  a  branch,  torn  from  the 
main  stem,  becomes  not  the  tree,  but  only  is  separated 
from  the  life  by  which  all  the  branches  live. 

Beware,  therefore,  I  charge  you,  before  God  and  his 
Christ  who  is  Lord  of  all,  how  you  allow  your  sectarian 
pride  to  go  so  far  as  to  disown  any  of  Christ's  true 


Lect.  XXV.]         THE  COMMUNION  OF   SAINTS.  67 

flock.  The  Scriptures,  as  we  have  seen,  plainly  teach 
that  all  who,  by  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  believe 
in  Jesus  Christ  for  the  saving  of  their  souls,  and  prove 
the  sincerity  of  their  ftiith  by  Christian  practice,  are 
members  of  his  living  body.  They  are  as  free  from 
insisting  upon  entire  conformity  of  doctrine  and  prac- 
tice to  be  essential,  but  on  the  contrary  enjoin  the  ut- 
most charity  and  forbearance.  The  apostle  Paul  has  a 
passage  directly  in  point  when  (Rom.  xiv.  1—18),  speak- 
ing of  some  sharp  contentions  about  matters  quite  as  se- 
rious as  some  that  divide  Christians  nowadays,  he  says  : 
"  Him  that  is  weak  in  the  faith,  receive  ye,  but  not  to 
doubtful  disputations.  For  one  believeth  that  he  may 
eat  all  things  ;  another,  who  is  weak,  eateth  herbs.  Let 
not  him  that  eateth  despise  him  that  eateth  not ;  and 
let  not  him  which  eateth  not  judge  him  that  eateth  ;  for 
God  hath  received  him.  Who  art  thou  that  judgest 
another  man's  servant  ?  To  his  own  master  he  standeth 
or  falleth.  Yea,  he  shall  be  holden  up,  for  God  is  able 
to  make  him  stand.  .  .  But  why  dost  thou  judge  thy 
brother  ?  or  why  dost  thou  set  at  nought  thy  brother  ? 
For  we  shall  all  stand  before  the  judgment-seat  of 
Christ.  For  the  kingdom  of  God  is  not  meat  and 
drink,  but  righteousness,  and  peace,  and  joy  in  the  Holy 
Ghost.  For  he  that  in  these  things  serveth  Christ,  is 
acceptable  to  God  and  approved  of  men."  Therefore, 
(let  me  quote  again  from  Archbishop  Seeker,)  "  Christ's 
church  is  the  whole  number  of  those  who  believe  on 
him.  How  much  soever  they  may  differ  in  some  opin- 
ions or  practices,  yet  are  they  one  in  all  things  essential. 
How  wide  soever  they  may  be  dispersed  throughout  the 
world,  they  shall  at  last  be  gathered  unto  him.  We 
can   only  judge  according  to  appearances,  and,  there- 


68  THE   HOLY  CATHOLIC  CHURCH,      [Lect.  XXV. 

fore,  to  us,  all  must  be  members  of  Christ's  church 
who  make  a  visible  profession  of  being  Christians.  But 
God  sees  every  secret  thought,  and,  in  his  eye,  they 
alone  belong  truly  to  his  church  who  serve  him  "  in 
the  hidden  man  of  the  heart,  "  that  inward  sincerity  to 
human  eye  invisible." 

Happy,  unspeakably  happy,  is  he  who  can  adopt  with 
humble  confidence  the  words  of  our  Catechism,  and 
say,  "  I  believe  that  I  am,  and  forever  shall  remain,  a 
living  member  of"  Christ's  "  holy,  catholic  church  !  " 

You  will  have  observed  that  throughout  this  discus- 
sion we  have  considex'ed  the  church  in  its  spiritual 
character,  not  as  to  the  external  or  visible  form  of  it ; 
because  such  is  the  doctrine  of  the  article.  But  it 
must  not  be  overlooked,  that  God  has  required  every 
believer  in  Christ's  name  to  confess  him  before  men, 
and  all  Christians  to  separate  themselves  from  the 
World,  and,  hence,  to  constitute  a  visible  body  or  king- 
dom of  his  servants  for  the  publication  of  his  truth,  the 
celebration  of  his  worship,  and  the  performance  of  his 
commands.  And  as  visible  signs  or  rites  are  neces- 
sary for  the  outward  manifestation  of  this  church,  he 
has  appointed  two  sacraments :  one,  initiatory  baptism, 
by  which  we  are  to  declare  ourselves,  and  be  received 
as  members  of  the  church  ;  the  other,  confirmatory, 
the  Lord's  Supper,  by  which  we  are  strengthened  in 
the  doctrines  we  profess,  and  which  that  sacrament 
sets  forth.  None,  therefore,  who  do  not  unite  them- 
selves to  the  visible  chui'ch  have  a  right  to  be  consid- 
ered members  of  the  church  spiritual.  Baptism  and 
the  Lord's  Supper  are  the  divinely  appointed  methods 
of  making  such  open  profession  ;  and,  therefore,  none 


Lect.  XXV.]        THE  COMMUNION   OF  SAINTS.  69 

who  refuse  to  receive  those  sacraments  act  in  conform- 
ity to  Christ's  requirements,  or  can  be  acknowledged 
as  faithful  Christians  ;  though  tliis  must  not  be  carried 
so  far  as  to  exclude  those  who  have  no  opportunity  of 
compliance,  or  even  those  who  through  ignorance  {as 
the  Society  of  Friends)  consider  the  inner  baptism  of 
the  Spirit  and  edification  through  the  truth,  which  the 
sacraments  represent,  to  be  all  that  is  necessary.  This 
last  is  a  very  grave  error,  but  Ave  would  fain  hope  not 
sufficient  to  obviate  the  christianizing  power  of  faith  in 
Christ  Jesus. 

These  sacraments  are,  however,  not  in  themselves  of 
saving  efficacy,  and  are  of  no  value .;  nay,  they  become 
gross  insults  to  God,  except  as  they  are  tlie  outward 
signs  of  inward  grace. 

The  Lord  Jesus,  also,  for  wdse  purjjoses,  ordained 
that  certain  men  should  be  set  apart  for  the  public  ser- 
vice of  the  church,  in  the  preaching  of  the  gospel,  the 
administration  of  the  sacraments,  the  maintenance  of 
discipline,  the  disposition  of  charity,  and  the  govern- 
ment of  the  Lord's  house. 

These  offices  are  necessary  for  a  church  after  the 
apostolic  order ;  but  Christians  have  differed  as  to  the 
mode  and  details  of  tlie  ecclesiastical  system  most 
accoi'dant  with  the  word  of  God  ;  and  especially  three 
kinds  of  government  have  had  their  strenuous  advo- 
cates, viz  :  The  democratical  or  Congregationalist,  the 
monarchical  or  the  Episcopalian,  and  the  republican- 
representative,  or  the  Presbyterian.  This  last,  our 
church,  in  common  with  the  larger  portion  of  the 
reformed  churches,  holds  to  be  the  most  scriptural ; 
but,  while  we  believe  that  Presbyterianism  is  necessary 
to  the  'perfection  of  a  church,  we  should  not  think  it 


70         THE  HOLY  CATHOLIC  CHURCH,   [Le'it.  XXV. 

essential  to  the  existence  of  a  church,  and  cheerfully 
accord  our  Christian  fellowship  to  all  churches  profess- 
ing the  main  doctrines  of  Christian  faith,  notwithstand- 
ing their  differing  from  us  on  some  points  of  external 
order.  "  Such,  indeed,  as  obstinately  deny  the  funda- 
mental doctrines,  or  transgress  the  fundamental  pre- 
cepts of  Christianity,  ought  to  be  rejected  from  Chris- 
tian communion.  But  to  renounce  communicating 
with  any  others  who  are  willing  to  admit  us  on  lawful 
terms,  is  the  way  to  cut  off  ourselves,  not  them,  from 
the  body  of  Christ,  who  yet,  we  doubt  not,  will  allow 
those  on  both  sides  to  belong  to  his  church,  who 
through  pardonable  passions  or  mistakes  will  not  allow 
one  another  to  do  so."  *  Indifference  is  a  great  sin, 
but  "charity  is  the  bond  of  perfectness." 

SECOND     PART. 

As  the  perfection  of  holy  obedience  is  love,  and  as 
it  is  the  purpose  of  God  that  all  his  ransomed  people 
shall  be  brought  into  a  full  and  active  harmony  amidst 
the  glory  of  heaven,  we  must  look  to  see  the  recovery 
begun  on  earth.  Hence  we  believe  in  "  the  communion 
of  saints,'^  a  cordial  acknowledgment  of  which  is  es- 
sential to  the  creed  and  character  of  a  Christian.  This 
is  not  a  separate  article,  but  supplementary  to  the 
statement  respecting  "  the  holy  Catholic  church,"  and 
has  already  been  somewhat  treated  of  under  those 
terras  ;  yet,  is  brought  before  us  more  specially  by  the 
55th  Question  and  Answer,  which  bid  us  say, 

'■'■First:  That  all  and  eveiy  one,  Avho  believe,  being 
members  of  Christ,  are  in  common  partakers  of  him 
and  of  all  his  riches  and  gifts. 

*  Se<ikeir. 


Lect.  XXV.]         THE  COMMUNION   OF   SAINTS.  71 

"  Secondly :  That  every  one  must  know  it  to  be  his 
duty  readily  and  cheerfully  to  employ  his  gifts  for  the 
advantage  and  salvation  of  other  members." 

I.  What  constitutes  "  the  communion  of  saints  ?  " 

We  have  already  defined  "  saints  "  to  be  those  set 
apart  to  the  service  of  the  divine  glory  in  Christ  Jesus. 
They  were  all  by  nature  sinners,  guilty,  corrupt,  and 
blind,  "  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins  "  ;  therefore  equally 
and  wholly  dependent  upon  the  grace  of  God  for  salva- 
tion. But  they  are  each,  by  the  same  method  of  faith, 
united  to  Christ,  that  according  to  the  blessed  purpose 
of  God  they  might  receive  from  him  through  Christ  by 
the  Holy  Ghost,  all  the  pardon,  adoption,  and  sanctifica- 
tion  necessary  for  their  complete  redemption.  Hence, 
as  their  natural  ruin  was  the  same,  their  saving  benefits 
are  the  same,  which  last  is  their  "  communion,"  because 
the  grace  is  participated  in  by  each  and  all  of  them. 
They  must  be  saved  by  the  same  methods  and  the  same 
blessings.  Called  by  the  same  heavenly  voice,  when 
they  meet  at  the  cross  and  at  the  throne  of  grace,  each 
recognizes  in  each  a  counterpart  of  himself,  having  the 
same  faith,  the  same  needs,  the  same  duties,  the  same 
temptations,  and  the  same  hopes.  United  to  Christ, 
they  are  miited  in  him  to  each  other,  with  the  same 
interests  and  sentiments  and  experience. 

This  is  illustrated  in  the  Scriptures  by  several  strik- 
ing figures.  They  are  a  flock  led  by  one  good  Shep- 
herd, into  the  same  green  pastures,  beside  the  same  still 
waters,  and  are  to  be  gathered  at  last  within  the  same 
heavenly  fold.  They  are  as  "living  stones"  built  up 
on  the  same/foundation  of  Christian  truth,  "  growing  " 
unto  a  perfect  and  holy  temple  of  God  "  by  his  Spirit"; 
strengthened  by  the  same  strength  and  made  glorious 


72  THE  HOLY  CATHOLIC  CHURCH,      [Lect.   XXV. 

by  the  same  gloiy.  They  are  a  family,  begotten  by 
the  same  divine  energy  in  the  same  likeness,  fed  at  the 
same  table,  sheltered  by  the  same  covenant,  employed 
in  the  same  duties,  and  heirs  of  the  same  inheritance, 
destined  to  the  same  eternal  home,  their  heavenly 
Father's  house.  But  the  most  instructive  figure  of 
all  is  the  comparison  of  the  church  to  a  living  "  body," 
having  "  many  members,"  all  believers  of  the  gospel, 
and  one  head,  Christ.  This  body  is  not  merely  com- 
posed but  organized,  the  members  being  "  fitly  joined 
together,"  having  a  common  life,  a  common  feeling, 
and  a  common  growth  unto  a  "  fulness  of  stature,"  so 
that,  if  "  one  member  suffer,  all  the  members  suffer 
with  it,  or  one  member  be  honored,  all  the  members 
rejoice  with  it." 

And,  in  order  to  keep  this  great  and  delightful  fact 
constantly  before  us,  the  Holy  Ghost  confirms  and  reit- 
erates it  every  time  we  celebrate  the  feast  of  love, 
which  Christ  ordained  as  the  peculiar  emblem  of  his 
church.  The  sacrament  of  the  supper  is  "  the  com- 
munion of  the  body  of  Christ."  Surrounding  one 
table,  eating  of  the  same  bread,  drinking  of  the  same 
cup,  we  receive  one  Christ  into  our  souls  and  are  re- 
ceived into  his  body.  United  to  him,  we  are  united  to 
each  other.  We  cannot  be  separated  unless  separated 
from  him.  So  that,  though  each  believes  for  himself, 
he  must  be  socially,  as  well  as  individually,  a  Christian. 
We  are  "  members  one  of  another."  The  fellowship 
is  vital  to  each  as  to  the  whole.  The  life  from  Christ, 
which  we  feel  in  our  own  hearts,  is  the  life  of  all 
believers. 

So,  also,  in  the  apostolical  benediction  we  hear  "  the 
communion  of  the  Holy  Ghost  "  added  to  "  the  grace 


Lect.  XXV.]         THE   COMMUNION  OF   SAINTS.  73 

of  Christ  and  the  love  of  God,"  which  "  communion  "' 
is  the  infinite  store  of  grace  and  love  and  blessing  that 
is  from  the  Holy  Ghost  for  the  common  enjoyment  of 
all  Christ's  people.  As  "  it  pleased  the  Father  that  in 
him  should  all  fulness  dwell,"  so  it  dwells  by  the  Holy 
Ghost  in  all  "  the  church,  which  is  his  body,  the  fulness 
of  him  that  filleth  all  in  all." 

The  idea  will  be  more  fully  developed  as  we  consider 
11.  What  duties  are  consequent  upon  this  commun- 
ion. 

1.  The  first  obviously  is :  An  acknowledgment  of  all 
who  truly  believe  in  Christ,  and  show  forth  fruits  meet 
for  repentance,  as  fellow-members  of  Christ.  Christ 
brings  us  together  in  his  body,  the  Holy  Ghost  ani- 
mates us  with  one  life.  But  of  this  we  have  already 
spoken,  though  we  may  add,  that,  if  the  holy  angels 
rejoice  over  one  sinner  who  repents,  how  much  more 
should  we  rejoice  to  find  ourselves  joined  to  so  great  a 
company  of  sinners  ransomed  like  ourselves  from  eter- 
nal ruin,  and  made  heirs  like  ourselves  of  the  same 
everlasting  life ! 

2.  From  this  acknowledgment  v/ill  come — love  to  all 
Christians,  and  this,  simply,  because  they  are  Chris- 
tians, though  the  love  may  be  heightened  by  peculiar 
circumstances.  They  are  beloved  of  God  our  Father, 
as  redeemed  by  the  infinitely  precious  blood  of  his  Son, 
sanctified  by  his  Spirit  through  his  word,  and  destined 
to  manifest  eternally  the  riches  of  the  glory  of  his 
grace.  How  precious  must  they  be  to  Father,  Son,  and 
Holy  Ghost,  when  bought  with  such  a  price,  sanctified 
by  such  grace,  and  intended  for  such  glory  !  All  their 
sins  blotted  out  like  ours,  all  their  defects  covered  like 
ours,  all  their  wants  supplied  like  ours,  from  the  fulness 


74  THE  HOLY   CATHOLIC   CHURCH,         Lect.  XXV. 

of  the  Holy  Ghost  in  the  fuhiess  of  Christ,  the  love  we 
feel  for  Christ  our  head  should  flow  forth  to  all  our 
fellow-members  of  his  holy  body  ;  and  his  love  to  us 
make  them  dear  to  us  for  his  sake.  And  this  love 
should  be  cultivated,  not  waiting  until  it  is  drawn  out 
of  us  by  accidental  circumstances.  We  should  delight 
to  meditate  on  the  many  members  of  Christ's  elect 
body  with  whom  we  are  joined,  though  they  are  scat- 
tered throughout  the  world.  Our  hearts  should  make 
voyages  and  journeys  of  discovery  after  them  ;  and,  re- 
membering that  they  may  be  in  afliiction,  and  must  be 
in  temptation,  we  should  pray  for  them  and  delight  to 
hold  them  in  the  embraces  of  our  faith.  Is  it  not  a 
most  pleasant  thought,  that,  from  whatever  spot  on  earth 
a  Christian  prays,  his  prayers  go  up  to  the  one  heart  of 
Christ,  and  there  meet  with  our  prayers  and  the  prayers 
of  all  other  Christians  ;  and  so  when  blessings  for  each 
of  ns  are  sent,  they  all  flow  out  from  the  same  fountain 
of  infinite  love  !  How  does  this  make  us  all  one  in 
communion  with  the  Father,  and  his  Son  Jesus  Christ, 
by  the  Holy  Ghost,  the  spirit  of  grace  and  supplication 
which  is  given  to  us  all,  as  the  sign  of  our  adoption  ! 

3.  With  this  love  there  will  be  sympathy.  "  As  in 
water,  face  answereth  to  face,  so  answereth  the  heart 
of  man  to  man."  This  is  even  more  true  of  Christians. 
Our  history  is  the  same,  saved  from  the  same  ruin  by 
the  same  grace.  Our  difficulties  are  the  same  from  the 
deceiving  heart  within,  and  from  the  temptations  with- 
out ;  our  duties  are  the  same,  the  advancement  of  God's 
glory  in  the  services  of  a  Christian  life  ;  our  comforts 
are  the  same,  the  covenant  promises  of  the  Father,  the 
kinsmanship  of  the  Son,  and  the  indwelling  of  the  Holy 
Ghost ;  our  hope  is  the  same,  of  eternal  bliss  in  our 


Lect.  XXV.]        THE  COMMUNION   OF   SAINTS.  75 

father's  house  when  the  family  shall  all  be  brought 
home,  —  "  no  wanderer  lost,"  —  to  dwell  in  love  and 
joy  and  peace  forever.  The  sympathy  of  Christ  the 
head  thrills  through  each  and  all  the  members  of  his 
blessed  body,  and  so  each  member  should  sympathize 
Avith  all  the  rest.  This  is  the  beginning  of  the  com- 
munion of  the  church  above  :  here,  like  our  salvation, 
begun  in  sorrow  ;  there,  like  our  salvation,  consum- 
mated in  a  happiness  without  alloy. 

4.  Such  sympathy  were  nought,  if  it  be  not  mani- 
fested by  mutual  assistance.  Every  one  must  know  it 
to  be  his  duty  readily  and  cheerfully  to  employ  his  gifts 
for  the  advantage  and  salvation  of  other  members. 
The  church  is  an  organized  body,  so  that  we  cannot 
fail  to  be  affected  by  the  healthfulness  or  sickness  of 
any  member.  Nay,  as  in  the  individual  believer  the 
grace  of  God  operates  through  his  own  use  of  his  own 
faculties,  so  in  the  church  the  grace  we  have  in  com- 
mon operates  through  the  zeal  of  its  members.  This 
cannot  be  made  clearer  than  by  remembering  the  apos- 
tle's words  (Ephes.  iv.  13,)  when,  speaking  of  the  edi- 
fying or  building  up  of  Christ's  body  in  the  perfecting 
of  the  saints,  he  says  we  must  "  grow  up  unto  him  in 
all  things,  which  is  the  head,  even  Christ ;  from  whom 
the  whole  body,  fitly  joined  together  and  compacted  by 
that  Avhich  every  saint  supplieth,  according  to  the  ef- 
fectual working  in  the  measure  of  every  part,  making 
increase  of  the  body  to  the  edifying  of  itself  in  love." 
Here  you  see  that,  while  Christ  is  the  edifier  of  the 
body,  it  is  to  edify  itself;  and,  while  there  is  "  the  ef- 
fectual working  "  of  the  Holy  Ghost  "  in  the  measure 
of  every  part "  (^.  e.  the  degree  of  grace  and  ability 
given  to  each  member),  the  body  is  "  compacted,"  and 


76  THE  HOLY   CATHOLIC    CHURCH,        [Lect.  XXV 

"  maketh  increase"  by  "  that  which  every  joint  snppli- 
eth,"  and  this  by  the  mutual  aid  of  Christians  united 
in  love  to  the  one  head,  and  to  each  other. 

In  other  words,  it  is  the  order  of  grace  that  Chris- 
tians are  instrumentally  dependent  upon  each  other  ;  as 
we  grow  they  grow ;  as  tliey  grow  we  grow.  What- 
ever we  do  for  their  benefit  is  for  our  own  ;  whatever 
they  do  for  our  benefit  is  for  their  own.  Thus  it  is  not 
only  our  duty,  but  our  best  interest,  to  impart  freely  of 
all  God's  gifts  to  us  for  the  benefit  of  our  fellow-Chris- 
tians. There  must  be  a  communion  of  prayers  and 
acts  and  gifts,  as  there  is  a  communion  of  grace.  If 
we  refuse  this  closeness  of  union  to  our  fellow-Chris- 
tians, we  shall  suffer  doubly  ;  for  the  Holy  Spirit  will 
not  use  us  as  the  channels  of  his  grace  to  them,  nor  can 
the  effectual  working  throuo-h  them  reach  us.  Nothing 
but  weakness  and  death  can  result  from  such  selfish  iso- 
lation. It  is  this  that  the  church  needs  now.  When 
the  Holy  Spirit  was  poured  out  copiously  upon  the 
church  at  the  Pentecost,  "  they  had  all  things  in  com- 
mon." The  communion  was  complete  ;  and,  hence, 
the  great  spiritual  prosperity  and  rapid  growth  of  the 
church.  The  absence  of  such  communion,  or  rather 
the  imperfectness  of  it  now,  is  a  certain  sign  that  the 
Holy  Ghost  is  not  with  us  as  with  them.  If  all  Chris- 
tians united  their  hearts  and  efforts  and  means  for  the 
glory  of  the  true  church,  as  they  did,  the  gospel  would 
soon  cover  the  whole  earth.  We  have  talent  enough, 
members  enough,  wealth  enough  to  do  it,  if  we  fairly 
consecrated  all  without  reserve.  All  we  need  is  a  true 
and  hearty  communion  of  saints. 

Ah !  beloved  brethren,  let  us  take  into  our  souls  the 
gi'and  idea  of  this  cdinmunion  ! 


Lect.  XXV.]         THE  COMMUNION   OF  SAINTS.  77 

How  vast  the  fellowship  !  With  the  saints  of  all 
ages  in  the  past !  With  the  saints  of  all  ages  in  the 
future !     With  the  church  eternal  in  glory  ! 

How  comforting  !  We  are  not  alone  in  our  work,  in 
our  trials,  in  our  hopes  !  Millions  uncounted  have  been 
working  for  us,  praying  for  us,  rejoicing  over  us  !  Mil- 
lions uncounted  of  hearts  are  now  beating  in  unison 
with  ours  !  Millions  uncounted  are  to  follow  us,  for 
whom  we  are  even  now  transmitting  the  riches  of 
grace ! 

How  elevating  the  sentiment !  What  has  the  world 
equal  to  i\\\?,  philanthropy  !  —  this  bond  of  holy,  unself- 
ish, noble  sympathy  !     It  is  the  dawn  of  heaven  ! 

"  Not  to  me  only,"  said  our  apostle,  when  anticipat- 
ing his  crown  of  celestial  righteousness,  —  heaven  would 
have  lost  for  him  the  fulness  of  its  bliss,  if  he  had 
thought  he  was  to  receive  it  alone,  —  "  not  to  me  only, 
but  to  all  them  also  that  love  his  appearing," — all 
whom  the  Father  has  chosen,  all  whom  the  Son  has 
redeemed,  all  whom  the  Spirit  shall  have  sanctified  ! 
The  number  whom  no  man  can  count,  unanimous  in 
praise  and  joy  and  strength  and  love  without  end  ! 

O  what  a  grand  exalted  song, 
"When  every  tribe  and  every  tongue 
Redeemed  by  blood  with  Christ  appear, 
And  join  in  one  full  chorus  there  ! 

My  soul  anticipates  the  day, 
Would  stretch  her  wings  and  soar  away, 
To  aid  the  song,  the  palm  to  bear. 
And  bow  the  chief  of  sinners  there. 

Amen. 


LECTURE   XXVI. 

THE  FOEGIVENESS  OF  SINS. 


TWENTY-FIKST  LORD'S  DAY. 
THE  FORGIVENESS  OF  SINS. 

Quest.  LVI.      What  believest  thou  concerning  "  the  forgiveness  of  sins  "  ? 

Ans.  That  God,  for  the  sake  of  Christ's  satisfaction,  will  no  more  remem 
ber  my  sins  and  my  corrupt  nature,  against  which  I  have  to  struggle 
all  my  life  long;  but  will  graciously  impute  to  me  the  righteousness  of 
Christ,  that  I  may  never  be  condemned  before  the  tribunal  of  God. 

A  FTER  the  doctrine  of  "  the  holy  Cathohc  church" 
properly  comes  a  consideration  of  those  benefits 
which  every  true  member  of  Chiist's  body  receives 
through  faith  in  his  name.  These  are  concisely  stated 
as  three  :  The  forgiveness  of  sins  ;  the  resurrection  of 
the  body ;  and  the  life  everlasting.  The  first  we  enjoy 
even  in  this  life,  the  other  two  after  death.  Our  pres- 
ent lesson  respects 

The  Forgiveness  of  Sins  ;  and  we  could  not  have 
a  better  guide  for  our  thoughts  than  the  clear  and  pre- 
cise answer  to  the  56th  Question  which  we  have  just 
read. 

Let  us  examine  it  under  four  heads  : 

First  :    Tlie  nature  of  forgiveness. 

Secondly  :   The  author  of  forgiveness. 

Thirdly  :   The  means  of  forgiveness. 

Fourthly  :   The  extent  of  forgiveness. 

On  these  several  points  we  accept  and  profess  the 
opinions  of  our  church,  not  on  its  authority,  but  be- 
cause they  agree  strictly  with  the  Word  of  God  out  of 

VOL.    II.  6 


82  THE  FORGIVENESS   OF  SINS.        [Lect.XXVI. 

which  they  are  taken.  We  bring  no  preconceived 
philosophy  to  the  interpretation  of  the  Scripture,  but 
shall  take  the  statements  of  Scripture,  which  is  our 
only  rule  of  faith,  precisely  as  they  are  made,  since 
from  the  very  nature  of  the  case  we  can  know  nothing 
of  forgiveness  except  from  the  revelation  of  him,  who, 
because  he  alone  is  our  judge,  can  alone  be  our  Saviour. 
Nor  shall  we  attempt  to  vindicate  the  divine  gospel  of 
forgiveness  ao-ainst  those  who  would  teach  in  its  stead 
a  scheme  of  their  own  devising,  since  they  contend  with 
the  words  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

First  :   The  nature  of  the  forgiveness  of  sins. 

What  is  sin  ?  Iniquity  (or  inequality)  is  Avrong- 
doing  toward  another.  Transgression  is  a  breaking  of 
the  precise  bounds  or  rules  fixed  for  our  conduct  by 
competent  authority.  Unrighteousness  is  non-conform- 
ity to  right.  Sin  *  (a  purely  English  word,  the  others 
are  from  the  Latin)  includes  all  these,  but  has  in  addi- 
tion a  special  sense  of  being  committed  against  God  ; 
for  though  we  may  speak  of  iniquity  or  transgression 
or  unrighteousness  in  our  relations  to  men,  we  cannot 
without  violence  use  the  word  sin,  except  as  committed 
against  God.  In  our  English  version,  sm  translates  one 
word  (dfiapria),  except  in  three  places  (Ephes.  i.  7 ;  ii. 
5 ;  Col.  ii.  13),  where  another  word  (Trapa.iTTWfxa)  is 
found,  which  elsewhere  is  translated  either  trespass  or 
offence.  In  one  text  we  find  both  words  (Ephes.  ii.  1) 
"  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins."  But  in  every  text 
where  the  former  word,  always  rendered  sin,  occurs, 
it  has  the  sense  of  offence  to  God ;  f  so  that  our  word 

*  Sin.     German,  Siinde  (from  Sunder,  departure). 

t  The  verb  dfiapTavu,  in  Matt,  xviii.  15,  21;  Luke  xvii.  3,  4,  is  used  with 
reference  to  man  ;  but  (ijiapTrjiia,  ijiapria,  never. 


Lect.  XXVI.]  THE  FORGIVENESS   OF   SINS.  83 

sin  corresponds  exactly  to  it.  Hence  the  excellently 
precise  definition  of  the  Westminster  divines  : 

"  /Sin  is  any  want  of  conformity  unto  or  transgression 
of  the  law  of  God."  It  is  the  doing  of  what  God  has 
forbidden,  or  the  not  doing  what  God  has  commanded. 
So  in  the  general  confession  of  the  Episcopal  Church 
they  say  :  "  We  have  offended  against  thy  holy  laws  : 
we  have  left  undone  those  things  which  we  ought  to 
have  done  ;  and  we  have  done  those  things  which  we 
ought  not  to  have  done." 

The  moral  nature  of  man,  however,  is  such,  that  his 
acts,  inward  or  overt,  are  not  instinctive  or  isolated, 
but  proceed  from  certain  moral  tendencies  within  him, 
which,  from  lack  of  a  more  precise  term,  we  call  prin- 
ciples. Thus  an  honest  man  abstains  from  dishonest 
acts,  because  he  has  a  principle  or  fixed  determination 
to  honesty  within  him  ;  a  dishonest  man  acts  dishon- 
estly from  want  of  such  a  principle  ;  and  it  is  from  the 
evidence  he  gives  of  having  or  lacking  such  principles 
that  we  form  our  judgment  of  his  character.  So  one 
who  has  a  reverent  love  for  God  in  his  heart  will  de- 
sire and  endeavor  to  conform  himself  to  all  God's  will, 
because  he  is  governed  by  a  principle  of  godliness. 
The  absence  of  such  a  principle  (which  the  Scripture 
calls  the  image  of  God,  or  likeness  to  God,  because  it 
is  a  correspondence  of  the  creature  to  the  Creator) 
renders  our  whole  nature  sinful,  because  it  is  wholly 
inclined  to  sin  against  God.  Hence  the  Scriptures 
declare  that  we  are  sinners  by  nature  :  "  By  nature 
children  of  wrath  ;  "  because  naturally,  as  we  are  born, 
and  before  we  are  renewed  by  grace,  we  have  no  such 
principle  of  godliness,  for  which  we  are  most  justly 
condemned,  since  an  evil  disposition  is  more  criminal 


84  THE  FORGIVENESS   OF   SINS.        [Lect.  XXVI. 

Ihan  single  evil  acts.  This  is  admitted  in  the  discipline 
of  a  wise  parent,  who  does  not  so  much  punish. his 
child  for  a  separate  fault,  as  endeavor  to  correct  the 
child's  evil  tendencies  or  disposition,  by  the  inculcation 
of  opposite  principles.  This  corrupt  tendency,  which 
the  Scriptures  assert  belong  to  all  mankind,  is  the  root 
of  all  sin  in  us  ;  and  as  the  holy  principle  was  lost  by 
our  first  parent  Adam,  by  the  commission  of  his  first 
sin,  and  so  is  wanting  in  all  his  descendants,  our  nat- 
ural depravity,  our  tendency  to  sin,  is  called  by  theolo- 
gians original  sin,  a  term  not  found  in  Scripture  but 
justified  by  Scripture :  "  As  by  one  man  sin  entered 
into  the  world,  and  death  by  sin,  and  so  death  passed 
upon  all  men,  for  that  all  have  sinned."  It  is  original 
sin  in  a  double  sense  :  because  it  came  from  the  first 
sin  of  the  first  man,  and  because  it  is  the  source  (^fons 
et  origo)  of  all  our  sins.  When,  therefore,  we  speak 
of  "  the  forgiveness  of  sins,"  we  suppose  the  forgive- 
ness to  extend  not  only  to  our  actual  sins  of  omission 
and  commission,  but  also  to  our  original  sin,  the  cor- 
ruption of  our  whole  nature.  Thus,  the  Catechism 
bids  us  say  that  we  believe  "  God  will  no  more  remem- 
ber our  sins  and  our  corrupt  nature." 

"Forgiveness"  is. an  English  word,  compounded  of 
give  and  the  prefix /or,  which  has  the  sense  o^  from, 
implying  separation,*  as  in  for-sake,  for-get,  for-bear. 
In  our  English  version  it  translates  two  words :  one 
meaning  a  loosing  from  (dTroAiJw,  Luke  vi.  27),  the 
other  a  taking  away  (ac^co-/.?,  from  dt^ir^/xt,  in  very  many 
places).  So  that  our  translators  are  nicely  accurate 
in  this  term  also.     Our  Catechism  makes  us  say  that 

*  Sometimes  ybr  is  contracted  hom  fore, — ybrwards;  sometimes  inten- 
sity from  German  ver,  — fm-\oT\\. 


Lect.  XXVI.]        THE  FORGIVENESS   OF   SINS.  85 

"  God  will  no  more  remember  my  sins  nor  my  corrupt 
nature  "  ;  which  language  is  justified  by  the  prophet 
Jeremiah,  xxxi.  34  :  "  Saith  the  Lord,  I  will  forgive 
their  iniquity,  and  I  will  remember  their  sin  no  more." 
Not  that  God,  strictly  speaking,  ever  forgets,  but  he 
acts  towards  those  whom  he  forgives  as  though  their 
sins  were  forgotten.  He  separates  their  sins  from 
them. 

•  The  fact  of  the  sin  having  been  committed  is  not 
destroyed.  That  is  impossible.  Nothing  can  change 
or  destroy  the  past.  It  must  ever  remain  true  that  sin 
w^as  committed.  It  is  true  of  all  the  saints  in  glory 
that  they  were  once  sinners  by  nature  and  practice, 
and  it  must  ever  remain  known  to  God's  all-present 
mind  that  we  have  sinned  against  him. 

The  wickedness  of  the  sin  is  not  taken  away.  Noth- 
ing can  reconcile  wrong  and  right.  What  is  wrong 
once  must  be  wrong  always,  for  right  is  unchangeable 
as  God  himself. 

Nor  can  the  demerit  or  punishment  due  to  sin  be 
taken  away.  It  is  the  rule  of  eternal  order,  the  de- 
mand of  eternal  justice,  that  punishment  should  follow 
violation  of  law.  This  axiom  lies  deeper  than  in  the 
nature  of  things  ;  it  is  in  the  nature  of  the  infinitely 
perfect  God.  So  Seneca  truly  says,  that  in  a  perfect 
government  crime  can  never  be  forgiven,  because  for- 
giveness is  inconsistent  with  justice.  The  sin  must  be 
expiated  before  the  sinner  can  go  free.  The  punish- 
ment due  to  his  sin  must  be  in  some  manner  carried  to 
execution  before  he  can  be  treated  as  though  he  had 
never  sinned. 

But  "  forgiveness  "  does  mean  that  the  sinner  is  set 
free  from  his  personal  obnoxiousness  to  punishment  (o» 


86  THE  FORGIVENESS   OF   SINS.         [Lect.  XXVI. 

guilt),  or  that  the  just  consequence  of  his  sins  is  taken 
away  from  him  because  that  consequence,  or  guilt,  or 
punishment,  has  been  borne  and  satisfied  in  some  way 
consistent  with  divine  justice,  though  not  by  him.  This 
method,  as  we  shall  hereafter  learn  more  particularly, 
is,  by  the  substitution  of  Christ,  to  satisfy  the  law,  in 
the  place  of  the  sinner  who  believes  on  his  name.  In 
other  words,  his  sin  is  punished  and  the  law  takes  its 
course,  but  in  Christ  and  on  Christ's  person,  not  in  and 
on  the  penitent  believer.  Thus  we  say  after  the  Cate- 
chism, not  that  God  forgives  us  without  reason,  or  arbi- 
trarily, (for  that  were  a  violation  of  justice  and  truth,) 
but  "  that  God,  for  the  sake  of  Christ's  satisfaction,  will 
no  more  remember  my  sins  nor  my  corrupt  nature," 
"  but  will  graciously  impute  to  me  the  righteousness  of 
Christ,  that  I  may  never  be  condemned  before  the  tri- 
bunal of  God."  The  forgiveness  is  every  way  consist- 
ent with  justice,  because  it  is  on  account  of  satisfaction 
rendered  and  righteousness  imputed.  This  will  be 
farther  treated  of  under  our  third  head. 

Secondly  :   The  authoi'  of  forgiveness. 

It  is  God  only.  "I,  even  I,  that  blotteth  out  thy 
transgressions  for  my  name's  sake,  and  will  not  remem- 
ber thy  sins."    Is.  xliii.  25. 

It  can  be  God  only,  for  it  is  against  him  that  the  sin 
has  been  committed.  All  wrong  is  wrong  against  God, 
for  all  our  duty  is  to  him.  We  may  wrong  our  fellow- 
creatures,  and  they  may  forgive  us  ;  but  their  forgive- 
ness does  not  free  us  from  the  guilt  of  having  sinned 
against  God  in  wronging  them.  Thus  David,  after  his 
worst  and  very  complicated  crimes,  in  which  he  had 
most  foully  wronged  and  murdered  one  whom  as  his 
subject  he  was  bound  to  protect  and  honor,  exclaims  to 


Lect.  XXVI.]         THE  FORGIVENESS   OF   SINS.  87 

God  :  "  Against  thee,  thee  only  have  I  sinned  and 
done  this  evil  in  thy  sight."  So  Joseph,  faithful  in  the 
midst  of  temptation,  asks  :  "  How  shall  I  do  this  great 
wickedness,  and  sin  against  God  ?  "  Hence  God  has 
enjoined  upon  us  forgiveness  to  those  who  have  injured 
us,  because  punishment,  and  therefore  remittal  of  pun- 
ishment, is  his  alone.  "Vengeance  is  mine,  I  will 
repay,  saith  the  Lord."  "  Who,"  then,  "  can  forgive 
sins,  but  God  only  ?  " 

As  forgiveness  can  be  extended  only  for  the  sake  of 
satisfaction  rendered,  God  only  can  forgive,  for  he  only 
can  determine  the  sufficiency  of  the  satisfaction,  or 
whether,  if  it  be  sufficient,  it  shall  be  accepted.  It  is 
a  matter  of  free  grace  on  his  part,  if  he  release  the 
sinner  from  punishment  for  any  reason. 

So,  also,  he  alone  can  forgive,  because  he  alone  could 
devise  and  execute  a  plan  by  which  his  mercy  t©  the 
sinner  may  be  justified.  Such,  in  his  estimation,  is  the 
enormity  of  sin,  —  such  its  extreme  guiltiness,  —  that  he 
has  declared  its  desert  to  be  eternal  punishment ;  and 
he  never  remits  sin  except  for  the  sake  of  the*  right- 
eousness of  Christ,  his  coequal  Son  in  our  nature. 
No  such  atonement  could  ever  have  been  provided 
except  by  him  alone.  Therefore,  as  God  in  his  mercy 
and  wisdom  and  power  has  p'rovided  the  only  method 
by  which  sin  can  be  forgiven,  he  only  is  the  author  of 
forgiveness  ;  and  the  mercy  of  the  forgiveness  lies  in 
the  provision  and  application  to  the  sinner  of  the  jus- 
tifying righteousness.  It  is  mercy,  but  mercy  through 
justice  ;  the  mercy  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus.  Thus  we 
come  to. 

Thirdly  :   The  means  of  forgiveness. 

This  the  Catechism  declares  to  be  "  Christ's  satis- 


88  THE  FORGIVENESS   OF  SINS.         [Lect.  XXVI. 

faction,"  — "  the  imputation  of  the  righteousness  of 
Christ." 

We  have  already  seen  that  no  sin  of  ours  can  go  un- 
punished, and  that  the  guiltiness  of  sin  is  so  great  that 
we  can  never  satisfy  the  penalty  ourselves,  but  that,  if 
not  forgiven,  we  must  suffer  on  eternally.  It  follows, 
therefore,  that  the  sinner  cannot  be  pardoned  excejit 
the  divine  justice  accept  a  sufficient  righteousness  pre- 
sented by  another  on  his  behalf.  If  he  may  not  satisfy 
the  law  of  God  by  a  substitute,  he  must  die.  The 
Scripture  is  explicit  and  decisive  on  this  point.  God 
will  by  no  means  clear  the  guilty.  If  we  continue 
guilty  we  must  die  ;  and  except  that  guilt  can  be  taken 
off  from  us  by  another,  our  guilt  is  perpetual. 

But  will  God  accept  such  a  vicarious  satisfaction  ? 
If  so,  has  such  a  satisfaction  been  provided  ?  If  so, 
how*  may  we  avail  ourselves  of  its  advantage  ? 

Will  God  accept  such  a  satisfaction  ?  Will  the  sub- 
stitution of  a  vicarious  righteousness  justify  his  forgive- 
ness of  the  actual  sinner  ?  The  best  answer  to  these 
questions  is,  that  he  has  done  so.  He,  the  original  of 
all  law  and  justice,  has  declared  that,  for  the  sake  of 
Christ's  righteousness,  he  is  justified  in  pardoning  all 
who  will  accept  of  mercy  through  Christ  ;  and  this  was 
the  purpose  for  which  he  sent  Christ  into  the  world 
to  obey,  to  suffer,  and  to  die.  Thus  the  apostle  (Rom. 
iii.  19-26)  :  "  By  the  deeds  of  the  law  there  shall  no 
flesh  be  justified  ;  "  ^.  e.  salvation  by  our  own  woi'ks  is 
impossible.  "  But  now  the  righteousness  of  God  with- 
out the  law  is  manifested,  being  witnessed  by  the  law 
and  the  prophets  ;  even  the  righteousness  which  is  of 
God,  by  faith  of  Jesus  Christ,  unto  all  and  uj)on  all 
them   that  believe.     For  there  is  no  difference  ;  for  all 


Lect.  XXVI.]       THE  FORGIVENESS   OF   SINS.  89 

have  sinned  and  come  short  of  the  glory  of  God  ;  being 
justified  freely  by  his  grace  through  the  redemption 
that  is  in  Christ  Jesus  ;  whom  God  hath  set  forth  to 
be  a  propitiation  through  faith  in  his  blood,  to  declare 
his  righteousness  for  the  remission  of  sins  that  are  past 
through  the  forbearance  of  God ;  to  declare,  /  say,  at 
this  time  his  righteousness  that  he  might  be  just,  and 
tlie  justifier  of  him  which  believeth  in  Jesus."  This 
plainly  teaches  us,  that  God  has  provided  a  redemption 
in  the  work  of  Christ,  as  the  justification  of  the  be- 
lieving sinner,  and  that  he  does  pardon  every  sinner 
who  believes,  for  the  sake  of  what  Christ  has  accom- 
plished. That  which  God  has  done  and  promises  to 
do  must  be  right. 

But  we  may  state  reasons  for  this  acceptance  of  a 
substituted  righteousness  :  God  had  already  dealt  with 
us  because  of  our  representation  by  another.  However 
our  involvement  with  Adam,  the  head  of  our  race  and 
the  first  sinner,  may  be  stated  by  different  interpreters 
of  the  scriptural  declarations  on  the  subject,  it  cannot 
be  denied  that  we  do  suffer  in  consequence  of  Adam's 
fall.  The  ground  cursed  for  his  sake  is  still  cursed  to 
us  ;  still  the  price  of  man's  bread  is  the  sweat  of  his 
face  ;  nor  is  there  one  of  all  the  human  family,  the 
circumstances  of  whose  birth,  the  mortality  of  whose 
frame,  the  sorrows  of  whose  life,  do  not  prove  that  death 
has  come  upon  him  by  an  unbroken  entail  from  his 
first  parents.  If  we  suffer  for  the  sins  of  another,  may 
we  not  be  saved  by  another's  righteousness  ?  The 
principle  of  representation  or  substitution  is  traceable 
throucrh  all  the  interlinking  relations  of  man  with  man. 
It  is  a  law  of  our  nature.  Besides,  as  was  observed  in 
a  former  lecture,  what  is  the  end  of  punishment  ?  Cer- 
tainly not  the   destruction   of  the  transgressor,  but  the 


90  THE  FORGIVENESS   OF   SINS.         [Lect.  aXVI 

vindication  of  the  law,  that  its  majesty  may  be  main- 
tained and  others  be  deterred  from  following  his  exam- 
ple. If,  then,  the  law  of  God  may  be  so  magnified 
and  its  truth  be  vindicated  by  the  substitution  of 
another  to  bear  the  penalty,  the  substitute  may  be 
accepted  and  the  sinner  set  free.  How  completely  has 
this  been  done  by  the  vicarious  work  and  passion  of 
Christ  ?  How  clearly  do  they  show  God's  estimate  of 
sin  and  of  righteousness  ?  The  sufferings  of  Christ 
had  in  them  more  proof  of  divine  wrath  against  sin, 
more  expiatory  virtue,  more  honor  to  the  law,  more 
warning  of  God's  certain  condemnation  of  the  impeni- 
tent, than  the  aggregate  suiferings  of  the  whole  human 
family.  The  merit  of  Christ's  active  obedience  was 
greater  than  the  aggregate  obedience  of  a  thousand 
races  like  ours.  The  law  of  God,  therefore,  receives 
far  greater  majesty  by  the  pardon  of  the  sinner  through 
the  righteousness  of  Christ.  God  remains  infinitely 
just,  yet  becomes  infinitely  merciful  towards  the  sinner 
represented  by  Christ. 

Such  a  satisfaction  has  been  made.  Behold  the 
wisdom  and  the  grace  of  God  !  His  own  coequal  Son, 
who  being  no  creature  is  no  servant,  makes  the  satis- 
faction. The  sinner  is  man  :  the  law  broken  was  the 
law  given  to  be  obeyed  by  man  on  earth  ;  tlie  penalty 
was  the  death  of  man  ;  and  so  the  only  begotten  of 
God  assiimes  to  his  infinite  divinity  the  nature  of  man, 
—  puts  himself  under  the  law  given  to  us,  obeys  it 
in  his  life  upon  earth,  suffers  our  penalty  in  his  death 
on  the  cross,  making  the  merit  of  his  obedience  and 
suffering  in  our  nature  infinite  by  his  divinity,  as  the 
altar  sanctifying  the  sacrifice.  This  is  not  a  theory 
of  a  theological  school.  It  is  the  truth,  wellnigh  tht 
language  of  Scripture  :    "  When    the  fulness  of  time 


Lect.  XXVI.]       THE  FORGIVENESS   OF  SINS.  91 

was  come,  God  sent  forth  his  Son  made  of  a  woman, 
made  under  the  law,  to  redeem  them  that  were  under 
the  law,  that  we  might  receive  the  adoption  of  sons." 
He  took  our  place  that  we  might  be  admitted  to  his. 
"  He  was  made  sin  for  us,  who  knew  no  sin,  that  we 
might  be  made  the  righteousness  of  God  in  him."  The 
work  was  accomplished ;  for,  says  the  apostle  :  "  Be- 
cause ye  are  sons,  God  hath  sent  forth  the  Spirit  of  his 
Son  into  your  hearts,  crying,  Abba,  Father." 

What  is  the  method  by  which  this  satisfaction  ad- 
vantages us  ? 

The  answer  of  our  instructor  is  :    By  Imputation  ; 
which  is  synonymous  with   the  phrase  in   the  former 
part  of  the  paragraph  :  "  for  the  sake  of  Christ's  satis- 
faction."    For  what   is  the   meaning  of  imputation  ? 
Not  that  by  the  imputation  of  sins  to  Christ  he  be- 
comes a  sinner,  or  our  sins  become  his  sins  ;  or  that 
by  the  imputation  of  his  righteous  acts  to  the  sinner 
he  becomes  actually  innocent,  or  Christ's  acts  his  acts. 
In  no  sense  are,  or  can  be,  personal  acts  transferable. 
But  the  legal  consequences  of  the  acts  are  transferred 
by  imputation :   Christ  suffered  for  our  sins  ;    we  are 
saved  and   accepted  on   account  of  his  righteousness. 
Whenever,  therefore,  the  sinner  believes  in  Christ,  — 
that  is,  accepts  and  relies  upon  Christ's  suretyship,  —  he 
is  justified  before  God,  because  Christ's  righteousness 
is  imputed  to  him.     So  says  the  Psalmist :  "  Blessed  is 
the  man  to  whom  the  Lord  imputeth  not  iniquity ;  " 
which  is  equivalent  to  the  former  part  of  the  parallel- 
ism :  "  Blessed  is  he  whose  transgression  is  forgiven, 
whose  sin  is  covered."    And  again,  "Abraham  believed 
God  and  it  was  accounted  (i.  e.  imputed)  unto  him 
for  righteousness." 


92  THE  FORGIVENESS   OF   SINS.         [Lect.  XXVI. 

Fourthly  :   The  extent  of  this  forgiveness. 

Here  the  Catechism  bids  us  say,  that  "  God  will  no 
more  remember  my  sins  nor  my  corrupt  nature,  against 
which  I  have  to  struo-o-le  all  my  life  long  ....  that  I 
may  never  be  condemned  before  the  tribunal  of  God." 

It  is  the  forgiveness  of  all  the  believer's  sins.  "  I, 
even  I,  am  he  that  blotteth  out  thy  transgressions  for 
my  name's  sake,  and  will  not  remember  thy  sins." 
There  is  no  exception  or  reserve  made,  and,  therefore, 
al-1  the  sins  of  the  Christian  are  blotted  out.  Not  only 
the  sins  which  he  has  committed,  but  all  the  sins  which 
his  "  corrupt  nature,"  notwithstanding  his  struggles 
against  it,  may  cause  him  to  commit.  This  is  neces- 
sary to  salvation.  For  the  sanctification  of  the  sinner, 
though  begun  at  the  moment  he  believes,  is  not  com- 
plete until  his  admission  to  glory.  If,  therefore,  the 
pardon  extends  only  to  sins  committed  before  conver- 
sion, or,  as  some  have  heretically  contended,  before 
baptism,  the  penitent  will  certainly,  because  of  his 
remaining  weakness,  fall  into  fresh  condemnation  from 
which  there  is  no  salvation.  But,  blessed  be  his  name ! 
God  pardons  our  whole  sinful  nature,  and  therefore 
all  the  sins  which,  despite  of  our  faith,  yet  imperfect, 
come  from  it ;  so  that  he  who  truly  believes  can  never 
in  any  sense  "  be  condemned  before  the  tribunal  of 
God."  His  acquittal  is  complete,  his  justification  is 
established,  his  salvation  is  sure  ;  that  acquittal  is  not 
because  of  his  own  work,  nor  can  be  defeated  by  his 
sins,  but  is  for  the  sake  of  the  perfect  and  all-sufficient 
righteousness  of  Christ. 

Nor  let  any  say  that  this  doctrine  leads  to  licentious- 
ness in  giving  innnunity  to  the  sinner.  Mark  the 
careful  language  of  the  Catechism  :  we  must  "  struggle 


lect.  xxvl]       the  forgiveness  of  sins.  93 

all  our  lives  long  "  against  this  "  corrupt  nature."  It  is 
an  essential  quality  of  true  faith,  saving  faith,  that  it 
"  works  by  love,"  "  purifies  the  heart,"  and  "  over- 
comes the  world."  If,  therefore,  we  do  not  struggle 
against  our  "  corrupt  nature,"  we  have  no  faith,  and 
are  not  covered  by  Christ's  merits.  If  we  wilfully 
and  obstinately  sin  on,  we  have  no  evidence  of  pardon, 
but  of  the  reverse.  None  ever  accepted  Christ  as  a 
Saviour  from  punishment,  who  did  not  accept  him  as 
a  Saviour  from  the  power  of  sin.  Nay,  the  seal  of 
the  believer's  acceptance  with  God  is  the  stamp  of 
Christ's  likeness  on  his  heart  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  and 
the  sanctifying  grace  of  the  Spirit  is  the  only  sure 
earnest  of  perfect  salvation  amidst  the  holiness  of 
heaven.  It  is  by  this  Spirit  within  him  by  which  he 
struggles  against  his  "  corrupt  nature." 

God  does,  indeed,  chasten  the  believer,  but  chastise- 
ment is  not  punishment ;  on  the  contrary,  it  is  a  proof 
of  the  Father's  adopting  love.  So,  if  "  we  are,  by 
the  grace  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  sorry  for  (our  sinful) 
weaknesses,  and  earnestly  desirous  to  fight  against  our 
'unbelief,  and  to  live  according  to  all  the  command- 
ments of  God,  he  may  rest  assured  that  no  sin  or  in- 
firmity, which  still  remaineth  against  our  will  in  us, 
can  hinder  us  from  being  received  of  God  in  mercy, 
and  from  being  made  worthy  partakers  of  the  heav- 
enly meat  and  drink."  For  thus  says  the  apostle : 
"  There  is  now  no  condemnation  to  them  which  are  in 
Christ  Jesus,  who  walk  not  after  the  flesh  but  after  the 
Spirit." 

Such,  brethren,  is  the  scriptural  doctrine  of  forgive- 
ness. God  grant  us  the  experience  of  it  in  our  own 
souls. 


LECTURE  XXVII. 
THE  EESUERECTION  OF  THE   BODY. 


TWENTY-SECOND  LORD'S  DAY. 
THE   RESURRECTION   OF   THE   BODY. 

Quest.  LVII.  What  comfort  cloth  the  resurrection  of  the  body  afford  thee  '! 
Ans.     That  not  only  my  soul,  after  this  life,  shall  be  immediately  taken  up 

to  Christ  its  head;  but  also  that  this  my  body,  being  raised  by  the 

power  of  Christ,  shall  be  reunited  with  my  soul,  and  made  like  to  the 

glorious  body  of  Christ. 
Quest.  LVIII.     What  comfort  talcest  thou  from  the  article  of  "  life  ever- 

lastirifj  "  .*" 
Ans.    That,  since  I  now  feel  in  my  lieart  the  beginning  of  eternal  joy,  after 

this  life  I  shall  inherit  perfect  salvation,  which  eye  hath  not  seen,  nor 

ear  heard,  neither  hath  it  entered  into  the  heart  of  man  to  conceive, 

and  that  to  praise  God  therein  forever. 

T?VERY  careful  reader  of  Scripture  must  be  struck 
^-^  witli  the  prominence  given  to  the  doctrine  of  the 
resurrection  in  the  New  Testament.  Our  blessed 
Lord  taught  it  plainly  in  several  emphatic  passages,  as 
when  he  said  :  "Whoso  eateth  my  flesh  and  di'inketh 
my  blood  hath  eternal  life,  and  I  will  raise  him  up  at 
the  last  day  ;  "  and  when  he  comforted  Martha  at  the 
grave  of  her  brother:  "Thy  brother  shall  rise  again. 
...  I  am  the  resurrection  and  the  life  ;  "  and,  more 
particularly,  when  he  told  the  cavilling  Jews  :  "  Verily, 
verily,  I  say  unto  you,  the  hour  is  coming  when  the 
dead  shall  hear  the  voice  of  the  Son  of  God,  and  they 
that  hear  shall  live.  .  .  .  Marvel  not  at  this  ;  for  the 
hour  is  coming,  in  the  which  all  that  are  in  the  graves 
shall  hear  his  voice  and  shall  come  forth  ;  they  that 
have  done  good  unto  the  resurrection  of  life,  and  they 

VOL.   11.  7 


98  THE  RESURRECTION   OF  THE  BODY.     [Lect.  XXVH. 

that  have  clone  evil  unto  the  resurrection  of  damna- 
tion." All  the  apostles  treat  of  it  as  not  merely  a 
pleasing  expectation,  but  a  radical  truth  of  Christianity. 
They  taught  it  to  the  multitudes  of  the  Pentecost ;  for 
we  find  that  the  Sadducees  were  especially  grieved  be- 
cause they  "  preached  through  Jesus  the  resurrection 
from  the  dead."  So  Paul  was  mocked  at  by  the  Athe- 
nians, because  "  he  preached  unto  them  Jesus  and  the 
resurrection  "  ;  and,  in  defending  himself  before  Felix, 
he  professed  that  he  believed  "  all  things  which  are 
written  in  .the  law  and  in  the  prophets,  and  had  hope 
towards  God  (which  the  Jews  also  allowed)  that  there 
shall  be  a  resurrection  of  the  dead,  both  of  the  just  and 
the  unjust."  He  lays  a  like  stress  upon  it  in  his  epis- 
tles ;  as  in  Romans,  where  he  speaks  of  "  waiting  for 
the  adoption,  even  the  redemption,  of  the  body  "  ;  and  in 
that  noble  chapter,  the  xvth  of  1st  Corinthians,  where, 
having  demonstrated- and- expounded  it  at  great  length, 
he  adds,  as  the  proper  practical  inference  :  "  Therefore, 
my  beloved  brethren,  be  ye  steadfast,  immovable,  al- 
ways abounding  in  the  work  of  the  Lord,  forasmuch  as 
vour  labor  is  not  in  vain  in  the  Lord."  So  the  other 
ctpostles  united  in  carrying  the  faith  of  the  churches . 
forward  to  the  grand  consummation  of  the  evangelical 
system,  "  the  restitution  of  all  things,"  when  the  bodies 
of  Christ's  saints  would  be  fashioned  "  like  unto  his 
glorious  body."  Indeed,  such  courage  and  comfort  had 
the  early  believers  from  this  article  of  our  creed,  that 
they  exulted  amidst  the  tortures  of  martyrdom  ;  and 
their  persecutors,  on  one  occasion,  burnt  even  the  bones 
of  those  that  had  been  slain  for  Christ,  and  scattered 
their  ashes  on  the  waters  of  a  rapid  stream,*  in  vain 

*  The  Khone.     Eusebiiis,  1.  1  c.  1. 


I,ECT.  XXVII.]      THE  RESURRECTION   OF   THE   BODY.  99 

attempt  to  take  away  the  sublime  hope  from  the  surviv- 
ing confessors. 

Most  gladly,  therefore,  should  we  avail  ourselves  of 
the  opportunity  and  help  afforded  us  by  the  lesson  of 
to-day,  in  harmony  with  Scriptui'e,  to  study  this  cardi- 
nal doctrine  as  fully  as  our  time  will  permit. 

Let  us  remember,  however,  fii'st,  that  the  resurrec- 
tion of  tlie  body  is  purely  a  doctrine  of  divine  Scrip- 
ture. There  is  no  trace  of  its  ever  having  been  held 
by  any  man  who  had  not  the  aid  of  revelation.  Many 
of  the  ancients,  Egyptian,  Greek,  and  Roman,  had 
hopes,  by  no  means  clear  or  well  assured,  of  the  soul's 
immortality,  but  the  resurrection  of  the  body  was  not 
dreamed  of  by  any  philosophical  sect ;  and  wdien  pro- 
claimed by  "  the  gospel,"  which  "  brought  life  and 
immortality  to  light,"  it  was  received  with  ridicule  on 
every  side.  We  have  seen  that  the  Athenians  mocked 
at  it,  and  thought  that  "  Jesus  and  the  resurrection," 
-which  Paul  preached  on  Mars  Hill,  were  two  "  strange  " 
or  new  "  gods."  Pliny,  the  celebrated  naturalist,  and 
foremost  among  the  Latin  writers  on  science,  who  flour- 
ished about  the  time  that  Paul  preached  at  Rome,  and 
probably  was  not  wholly  ignorant  of  this  Christian  be- 
lief, holds  language  most  exti-aordinary  :  "  The  chief 
comfort  man  hath  for  his  imperfections  in  nature  is 
this,  that  even  God  is  not  omnipotent ;  and  some  things 
are  beyond  his  reach.  For  neither  is  he  able  to  work 
his  own  death,  were  he  never  so  desirous  of  it,  as  man 
can  do  when  he  is  tired  of  life  (the  best  gift  bestowed 
on  him  amidst  so  many  miseries)  ;  neither  can  he  en- 
dow man  with  immortality  (everlasting  life),  nor  yet 
recall,  raise,  and  revive  those  that  are  once  departed 
and  dead."  *     Celsus,  the  bitter  reviler  of  Christianity, 

*  Nat.  Hist.  b.  1,  c.  vii. 


100  THE  RESURRECTION  'OF  THE  BODY.     [Lect.XXVU 

lauglis  at  it  as  "  a  hope  of  worms,  a  filthy  and  dls- 
iiustino:  thino;,  which  God  neither  can  nor  will  bring 
to  pass."  Julian,  notorious  as  the  Apostate,  an  elegant 
writer,  and  of"  no  mean  rank  as  a  philosopher,  in  his 
frequent  attacks  upon  Christianity,  shows  more  spleen 
against  this  doctrine  than  any  other.  Justin  Martyr 
sums  up  his  argument  on  the  resurrection  (a  fragment 
of  which  has  reached  us)  in  words  like  these  :  "  We 
see  that  our  blessed  Saviour  throughout  all  the  gospel 
declares  the  salvation  of  our  flesh.  Why,  then,  do  we 
hearken  to  the  pernicious  maxims  of  infidels,  who  im- 
pudently swerve  from  the  truth  by  owning  that  the 
soul  only  is  immortal  and  incorruptible,  but  the  body 
corruptible  and  perishable.  This  we  learned  from 
Plato  and  Pythagoras  before  we  knew  the  truth.  If 
our  Saviour  has  taught  us  no  more  than  this,  he  has 
taught  us  nothing  more  than  those  philosophers.  But 
he  has  made  a  new  and  wonderful  revelation  to  man- 
kind ;  for,  truly,  new  and  wonderful  it  is  for  God  to 
promise,  not  only  to  preserve  that  which  is  incorruptible 
in  incorruption,  but  to  bestow  also  incorruption  on  that 
which  is  corruptible."  It  is,  therefore,  to  the  word  of 
God  alone  that  we  must  go  for  our  "  lively  hope,"  hum- 
bly employing  our  reason  to  follow  and  acknowledge 
the  wisdom  from  on  high  ;  for,  though  it  was  beyond 
the  power  of  reason  to  discover  the  resurrection,  it  is 
fully  within  the  province  of  that  faculty  to  perceive 
and  comj)rehend  the  truth  of  it. 

Let  us  take  for  our  discussion  the  very  natural  order 
suggested  by  the  answer  to  the  57th  Question. 

It  speaks  of  what  occurs  "after  this  life  "  ;  that  is, 
after  what  is  commonly  called  death,  when  the  soul  is 
separated  from  the  body.     Now  we  ask, 


lect.xxvii.1   the  resurrection  of  the  body.       101 

First  :    What  becomes  of  the  soul  f 

Secondly  :    What  becomes  of  the  body  ? 

Thirdly  :  What  will  be  the  final  state  of  both  body 
aiid  soul? 

First  :    Wiat  becomes  of  the  soul  "  after  this  life  "  ? 

1.  It  does  not  perish.  It  must  continue  to  exist,  be- 
cause after  death  is  the  judgment ;  and  exist  forever, 
because  from  the  judgment  "  the  wicked  go  away  into 
everlasting  punishment,  and  the  righteous  into  life  eter- 
nal." The  words  everlasting  and  eternal  mean  pre- 
cisely the  same,  and  translate  one  Greek  word,  so  that 
if  the  righteous  will  be  rewarded  eternally,  the  wicked 
will  be  punished  eternally  ;  the  souls  of  both,  the  wicked 
and  the  righteous,  are  imperishable  ;  for,  though  the 
term  "  life"  is  put  for  the  blessedness  of  the  righteous, 
it  does  not  follow  that  the  punisV.ment  of  the  wicked  is 
annihilation  (which,  indeed,  would  be  the  negation  of 
punishment),  since  many  Scriptures  show,  especially  the 
parable  of  the  rich  man  and  Lazarus,  that  the  wicked 
are  conscious  sufferers  in  a  place  of  torment.  Indeed, 
the  whole  Scripture  declares  this  life  to  be  a  prepara- 
tion for  eternity,  the  seed-time  of  an  everlasting  harvest, 
the  results  corresponding  to  our  actions  here. 

2.  The  soul  does  not  sleep  until  the  resurrection,  as 
some  fanciful  heretics  have  contended,  for  the  parable 
just  cited  shows  the  contrary.  Many  Scriptures  speak 
of  the  departed  believer  as  in  bliss :  the  writer  of  the 
Epistle  to  the  Hebrews  places  "  the  spirits  of  just  men 
made  perfect "  among  the  "  innumerable  "  angels  in 
"  the  heavenly  Jerusalem  "  ;  and  Paul  counted  it  bet- 
ter "  to  depart  and  be  with  Christ,"  —  which  he  would 
not  have  thought  if  he  knew  that  he  was  to  be  dormant 
on  his  leavino;  the  scene  of  his  great  usefulness,  as  ir-. 


102  THE  RESURRECTION   OF  THE  BODY.    [Lect.  XXVII 

sucli  case  he  would  have  preferred  to  remain.  It  is  the 
body  of  the  Christian  that  sleeps  in  Jesus,  not  the  ever 
active,  sensible  soul. 

3.  Neither  does  the  soul  pass  into  another  irrepara- 
tory  state,  such  as  that  the  papists  call  purgatory.  For, 
as  to  any  purgatorial  purification  by  fire,  the  notion  is 
flatly  contradicted  by  the  apostolical  doctrine  that  "  the 
blood  of  Christ  cleanses  from  all  sin,"  and  that  after 
Christ's  passion  "  there  remaineth  no  more  sacrifice  for 
sin."  Nay,  if  such  purification  by  fire  be  necessary, 
why  do  they  pray  and  ofier  masses  for  the  souls  of  the 
dead  ?  We  would  not  have  them  enter  heaven  unpuri- 
fied,  and  neither  prayers  nor  masses  can  take  the  place 
of  fire. 

4.  Nor  does  the  soul  go  into  any  other  state  (sometimes 
called  "  intermediate  ")  than  heaven  or  hell,  where  it 
remains  until  the  resurrection.  For,  in  the  first  place, 
(as  was  shown  in  the  lecture  on  Christ's  "  Descent  into 
Hell,"}*  the  Scripture  does  not  speak  of  such  a  place. 

Nor  is  such  a  place  necessary.  Heaven  is  the  abode 
of  blessed  spirits,  and  hell  of  lost  spirits  ;  and  there  is  no 
unfitness  in  a  disincorporated  soul  for  such  an  abode. 
Besides,  what  is  a  spirit  ?  Does  a  spirit  occupy  space  ? 
Is  heaven  or  hell  an  extent  of  space?  These  are  ques- 
tions not  readily  answered,  on  which  the  most  ingenious 
minds  have  pondered  without  satisfaction.  But  we 
know  that  heaven  is  a  state  of  happiness,  hell  a  state  of 
misery.  Is  the  happiness  of  the  justified  soul,  which 
lies  in  the  enjoyment  of  God,  so  different  from  that  of 
the  holy  angels,  that  they  cannot  enjoy  heaven  to- 
gether? May  not  a  miserable  soul  be  miserable  in 
hell  ?     Cbrist  has  gone  to  heaven,  and,  therefore,  when 

*  Which  see,  Vol.  I.  p.  395. 


Lect.  XXVIL]       THE  RESURRECTION  OF  THE  BODY.         103 

a  Christian  departs  to  be  with  Christ,  he  must  go  at 
once  to  heaven  ;  while  the  wicked  depart,  accursed, 
"  into  the  *  everlasting  fire,  prepared  for  the  devil  and 
his  angels."  Hence  the  Catechism  makes  the  believer 
confidently  say,  "  My  soul,  after  this  life,  shall  be  im- 
mediately taken  up  to  Christ  its  head." 

Secondly  :     What  ivill   become   of    the   hodij   after 

death  ? 

The  Catechism  bids  each  of  us  answer :  "  Tliis,  my 
body,  being  raised  by  the  power  of  Christ,  shall  be  re- 
united with  my  soul,  and  made  like  unto  the  glorious 
body  .of  Christ."  ^   ^ 

Here  we  should  note  an  unfortunate  error  in  our 
translation  of  the  Catechism,  which  is  also  found  in  the 
common  English  version  of  the  creed.  In  all  other 
versions  of  the  creed,  whatever  be  the  language,  it  is 
"  the  resurrection  of  the  flesh,''  not  "  of  the  5o%." 
The  variation  is  to  be  lamented,  as  it  defeats  one  design 
of  the  article,  which  was  to  assert  the  resurrection  of 
our  self-same  bodies,  in  opposition  to  such  heretics  as, 
following  Origen,  contended  that  at  the  resurrection 
we  shall  receive  phantasms  or  unsubstantial  semblances 
of  our  present  bodies,  or  forms  in  some  way  not  the 
same.  Our  Catechism,  in  its  original  German,  and 
also  in  the  Dutch  translation,  preserves  the  word 
flesh  ;  t  and,  in  the  answer  before  us,  it  is,  "  This  my 
flesh'';  so  the  error  is  inexcusable. 

I.  The  body  after  death  is  dissolved  according  to  the 

original  sentence  :   "  Dust  thou  art,  and  unto  dust  shalt 

thou  return."     This  we  know  by  too  painful   experi- 

'  ence.     What  process  the  bodies  of  the  wicked  will  go 

.  *  The  article  is  definite. 

\  Mijn  vleesch.     Ger.,  mdnflasch. 


104        THE  RESURRECTION   OF   THE   BODY.      [Lect.  XXVII. 

through  while  in  dissolution,  we  are  not  told,  though, 
doubtless,  it  will  be  a  preparation  for  their  endurance 
of  punisJiment ;  but  we  have  good  reason  to  believe, 
that,  during  their  long  sleep  in  the  grave,  the  bodies 
of  the  righteous  will  be  purified  from  the  corrupt  acci- 
dents of  their  ])resent  mortality,  and  prepared  for  the 
"  exceeding  weight  of  glory  "  which  shall  come  upon 
them  at  the  resurrection. 

II.  For  the  body  will  be  raised  again  at  the  last  day. 

The  Catechism  confines  its  answer  to  the  resurrection 
of  the  believer,  but  as  the  article  itself  contemplates  the 
resurrection  in  general,  we  shall  make  that  our  subject. 

1.  As  to  the  fact  of  the  resurrection,  the  believer  of 
Scripture  can  have  no  doubt.  We  have  already  seen 
how  prominent  a  doctrine  of  the  New  Testament  it  is, 
and  we  trace  it  from  the  begiiming  of  the  Old,  the  light 
increasing  until  the  coming  of  him  who  is  "  the  Life." 
The  antediluvian  world  saw  the  bodies  of  men  crum- 
ble into  dust,  but  the  translation  of  Enoch,  body  and 
soul,  to  God,  proved  that  the  whole  nature  of  man  was 
destined  for  immortality.  Job,  whose  history  is  the 
most  ancient  of  the  sacred  books,  knew  that  his  "  Re- 
deemer lived,  ....  and  that,  though  after  his  skin 
worms  destroy  his  body,  in  his  '  flesh  '  he  should  see 
God."  The  miracle  of  Enoch  was  repeated  for  the  Jews 
under  the  law,  by  the  translation  of  Elijah  ;  besides 
which,  there  were  several  instances  of  actual  resuscita- 
tion from  death,  as  of  the  Shunamite's  child,  the  child 
of  the  Avidow  of  Sarepta,  the  dead  man  Avhose  corpse 
touched  the  bones  of  Elisha,  —  and,  perhaps,  others. 
(See  Hebrews  xi.  35.)  David  avows  the-same  glorious 
hope,  when  he  says  :  "  My  flesh  also  shall  rest  in  hope  ; 
for  thou  wilt  not  leave  my  soul  in  hell  ;  "  and  again  : 


LscT.  XXVIL]       THE  RESURRECTION   OF   THE  BODY.        105 

"  I  sliall  be  satisfied  when  I  awake  with  thy  Hkeness." 
Isaiah  prophesies  of  tlie  uprising  of  the  saints  through 
the  victory  of  Christ  over  the  grave  :  "  Thy  dead  men 
shall  live  ;  together  with  my  dead  body  shall  they  arise. 
Awake  and  sing,  ye  that  dwell  in  the  dust ;  for  thy 
dead  is  as  the  dead  of  herbs,  and  the  earth  shall  cast 
out  the  dead."  Daniel  is  very  explicit :  "  Many  (z.  e.  the 
multitude)  of  them  that  sleep  in  the  dust  of  the  earth 
shall  awake  ;  some  to  everlasting  life,  and  some  to  shame 
and  everlasting  contempt."  But  the  great  proof  is  the 
resurrection  of  our  Lord  himself,  as  "  the  first-fruits  of 
them  that  sleep "  ;  whence  he  called  himself  "  the 
resurrection  and  the  life."  The  whole  gospel  turns  on 
that  cardinal  fact  as  opening  the  kingdom  of  heaven  ; 
so  the  apostle  says :  "  If  there  be  no  resurrection  from 
the  dead,  then  is  Christ  not  risen  ;  but  if  Christ  be  not 
risen,  then  is  our  preaching  vain,  and  your  faith  is  also 
vain." 

2.  The  reason  for  the  resurrection. 

Omitting  several  minor  arguments  which  have  not 
a  little  force,  we  go  at  once  to  the  main  reason  :  The 
justice  of  God  in  distributing  rewards  and  punishments. 
When  God  was  proceeding  to  the  creation  of  man,  he 
said  :  "  Let  us  make  man  in  our  image,  after  our  like- 
ness ;  "  and  so  he  "formed  man  of  the  dust  of  the  ground, 
and  breathed  into  his  nostrils  the  breath  of  life  ;  and  man 
became  a  living  soul,"  or  person.  What  the  "  image  of 
God  "  was,  it  is  not  necessary  now  to  determine  ;  but  we 
must  believe  that  the  man  thus  created  consisted  both 
of  body  and  soul.  His  rational  soul  was  not  all  of  his 
humanity,  but  his  flesh  also  was  essential  to  it.  Nay, 
his  spirit,  unlike  that  of  an  angel,  was  specially  fitted 
to  inhabit  a  body,  and  act  through  it  and  with  it.     Not 


100       THE  RESURRECTION   OF   THE   BODY.       [Lect.  XXVII. 

that  it  cannot  live  and  act  wlien  separate  from  the 
body,  but  that  a  union  with  the  body  is  necessary  to 
the  completeness  of  its  vigor  and  action.  In  a  word, 
the  man  is  not  entire  without  body  as  well  as  soul. 
This  is  proved  by  the  fact,  that,  when  it  jileased  our 
adorable  Lord  to  become  man,  or  assume  to  his  divinity 
our  humanity,  he  took  to  himself  not  only  a  reasonable 
soul,  but  also  a  true  body,  "flesh  and  blood"  like  ours. 
All  the  dealings  of  God  in  the  o;overnment  of  man  had 
reference,  therefore,  to  mayi  thus  compoimded  of  body 
and  soul.  The  rewards  of  life  and  the  penalties  of  dis- 
obedience were  proposed  to  man  thus  constituted,  and 
not  to  him  as  a  spirit  only.  It  is  true,  that,  as  the 
body,  when  separate  from  the  spirit,  is  not  conscious  or 
reasonable,  it  cannot  be  the  subject  of  moral  dealing 
except  as  it  is  coiniected  with  the  soul.  But  it  does 
not  follow  that  God  may  not  reach  the  soul  with  bless- 
ing or  misery  through  the  body,  as,  indeed,  we  know 
from  our  daily  experience.  For  there  are  not  a  few 
exquisite  pleasures,  as  well  as  pains,  derived  by  the  soul 
through  our  corporeal  senses,  and  appetites,  and  facul- 
ties, and  sensations.  So  also  there  are  important 
duties,  as  well  as  gross  crimes,  which  the  soul  cannot 
act  out  except  through  the  body.  It  is,  therefore, 
obviously  fitting  that  man's  punishment  or  reward 
should  be  visited  on  both  his  soul  and  body.  Not 
that  the  soul  cannot  suffer  or  enjoy  without  the  body, 
but  it  cannot  so  much  as  when  in  the  body.  The  man, 
that  is  the  whole  man,  —  man  as  he  Avas  created,  man 
as  he  lives  and  acts  in  his  present  s))herc,  —  must  bo 
the  subject  of  God's  full  judicial  dealing. 

The  facts  of  the  case  show  this.     "  In  the  day  thou 
eatest  thereof  thou  shalt  surelv  die,"   was  tlie  threaten- 


LLect.  XXVII.     THE  RESURRECTION   OF   THE  BODY.         107 

ing  of  penalty,  implying  the  opposite  reward  of  oppo- 
site obedience.  Man  sinned,  and  instantly  the  favor 
of  God,  which  is  life,  was  taken  from  the  soul,  and  the 
body  through  its  lusts  and  pains  became  at  once  its 
tempter  and  its  tormentor.  The  death  which,  unless 
averted  by  the  grace  of  Christ,  is  eternal,  passed  upon 
both  body  and  soul.  So,  also,  we  find  that  when  Christ 
undertook  to  expiate  our  guilt,  by  bearing  our  punish- 
ment, he  suffered  both  in  body  and  soul ;  for,  being  the 
substitute  of  man,  he  suffered  as  man  ;  and,  also,  when 
his  satisfaction  was  complete,  he  was  rewarded  with 
glory  in  heaven,  ascending  body  and  soul  to  the  right 
hand  of  the  Father.  It  follows  inevitably,  that  those 
covered  by  his  suretyship  were  redeemed  both  body  and 
soul ;  not  only  their  souls  made  heirs  of  heavenly  bless- 
edness, but  their  bodies  also  destined  to  be  made  like 
his  own  ;  while,  on  the  other  hand,  death  must  have 
its  eternal  effect  on  both  the  bodies  and  souls  of  those 
out  of  Christ. 

Thus  the  truth  of  God,  neither  in  his  threatenincrs 
nor  his  promises,  can  be  fulfilled,  if  the  soul  alone  is  to 
exist  forever,  since  the  soul  is  not  the  man,  and  cannot 
alone  enjoy  the  rewards  or  suffer  the  penalties  which 
the  man  deserves.  It  may  be  said  that  in  reality  (the 
body  without  the  soul  being  not  conscious)  it  is  the 
soul  which  enjoys  or  suffers,  but  the  body  certainly 
enhances  either  sensibility.  God  is  omnii)Otent,  and 
could  make  the  soul  independent  of  this  relation  ;  but 
in  doing;  so  he  would  change  the  nature  of  his  creature 
so  as  to  take  from  him  his  full  humanity,  which  lies, 
not  in  his  soul  or  in  his  body,  but  in  the  union  of  both. 
If  the  soul  of  the  sinner  exist  forever  to  suffer  eternal 
death,  the  body  of  the  sinner  must  exist  forever  to  suf- 


108         THE  RESURRECTION   OF  THE  BODY.      [Lect.  XXVIl 

fer  eternal  death  ;  if  the  soul  of  the  believer  shall  exist 
forever  to  enjoy  eternal  life,  so  must  his  body  ;  in  a 
word,  the  whole  man  must  exist  forever.  Since,  how- 
ever, the  body  on  the  soul's  leaving  it  does  dissolve, 
we  must  believe  that  it  is  not  annihilated,  but  will  be 
raised  again  for  the  vindication  of  God's  infallible  word. 

If  it  be  asked  why  the  organization  of  the  body  is 
suspended  between  the  time  of  the  soul's  departure 
until  the  last  day,  and  not  cast  at  once  into  heaven  or 
hell,  —  we  answer,  that  such  a  disposition  of  it  is  evi- 
dently a  part  of  that  providential  economy  consequent 
of  the  mediatorial  system  in  Christ,  which  began  in 
our  Avorld  with  the  first  promise,  and  will  terminate 
after  the  judgment.  It  is  for  Christ's  sake  that  we  are 
spared  to  live  in  this  world  at  all ;  and  there  are  obvi- 
ously many  moral  uses  of  natural  death,  intended  for 
us  to  take  advantage  of,  which  could  not  appear,  so  far 
as  we  can  see,  were  man  removed  at  once  body  and 
soul  out  of  the  w^orld.  But  when  all  these  tempo- 
rary ends  shall  have  been  reached,  that  justice  of  God, 
which  Christ  came  to  magnify  and  execute  (for  he  is 
the  judge  of  the  world),  requires  that  the  bodies  of  the 
dead  shall  be  raised,  and  the  whole  man  receive  the 
award  of  endless  life  or  endless  death.  So  the  resur- 
rection of  Christ  proves  the  final  resurrection  of  all 
men.  He,  the  mediatoi-ial  man,  was  raised  from  the 
dead  that  he  might  complete  his  mediatorial  office,  the 
consummation  of  which  is  the  judgment  of  all  men  ; 
and  at  his  coming  the  trump  of  the  archangel  will 
raise  the  dead  to  stand  before  him  for  doom  or  bliss. 

3.   The  manner  of  the  Resurrection. 

a.  It  will  be  accomplished  by  the  power  of  God. 
The  texts  in  proof  of  this  are  so  many  and  so  direct, 


Lect.  xxvil]    the  resurrection  of  the  body.      100 

that  we  need  hardly  cite  them.     The  reassembling  and 
organizing  and  animating  of  the  human  body  are  equal 
to  its  creation  ;  and  therefore  the  sacred  writers  dream 
not  of  any  other  foundation  for  their  belief  in  a  future 
resurrection  than  the  word  and  al mightiness  of  God. 
"  Why,"  asks   the   apostle,   "  should   it   be  thought   a 
thing   incredible    that   God    should    raise  the   dead?" 
That  God  has  undertaken  it  is  answer  enough  to  all 
questions  of  its  possibility.     It  is,  however,  worthy  of 
remark,  that,  though  according  to  the  usage  of  Scripture 
when  referring  to  the  main  acts  of  the  mediatorial  sys- 
tem, the  resurrection  of  the  body  is  attributed  to  each 
of  the  three  persons  of  the  Trinity  (to  the  Father,  Rom. 
vi.  4  ;  to  the  Son,  John  xi.  25  ;  to  the  Holy  Ghost, 
Ephes.  i.  20 ;   Rom.  i.  4),  yet,  like  every  other  vitaliz- 
ing prerogative,  it  is  especially  attributed  to  Christ  as 
the  mediator,  or  to  the  Holy  Ghost,  as  his  Spirit.     It 
was  part  of  his  viceregal  office  to  bestow  life  or  inflict 
death  upon  those  put  under  his  authority,  that,  as  he 
will  be  the  judge,  so  he  may  be  the  executor  of  his 
own   decisions.      Thus :    "  Verily,  verily,    I  say  unto 
you.  The  hour  is  coming,  and  now  is,  when  the  dead 
shall  hear  the  voice  of  the  Son  of  God  ;  and  they  that 
hear  shall  live.     For,  as  the  Father  hath  life  in  him- 
self, so  hath  he  given  to  the  Son  to  have  life  in  himself; 
and    hath    given   him   authority   to   execute   judgment 
also,  because  he  is  the  Son  of  Man.     Marvel  not  at 
this,  for  the  hour  is  coming  in  the  which  all  that  are 
in  the  grave  shall  hear  his  voice  and  shall  come  forth  ; 
they  that  have  done  good  to  the  resurrection  of  life, 
and  they  that  have  done  evil  unto  the  resurrection  of 
damnation."      The   authority   to  judge  men   and   the 
power  to  raise  them  from  the  dead  go  together. 


110  THE  RESURRECTION  OF   THE  BODY.     [Lect.  XXVII. 

h.  So,  for  the  same  reason,  the  time  of  the  genera' 
resurrection  will  be  the  end  of  the  workl.  We  are 
careful  to  say  general  resurrection,  because  there  have 
been,  and  possibly  may  be,  particular  instances  of  res- 
urrection as  proofs  or  preliminary  samples  of  the  great 
revival.  It  will  be  immediately  previous  to  the  final 
judgment,  and  when  the  execution  of  the  mediatorial 
work  is  about  closing.  "  I  will  raise  him  up,"  said  our 
Lord,  "  at  the  last  day."  So  the  apostle :  "  At  the  last 
trump,  for  the  trumpet  shall  sound,  and  the  dead  shall 
be  raised  incorruptible  ;  "  while  they  which  "  shall  re- 
main," that  is,  be  alive  at  the  time  (all  of  whom,  we 
have  reason  for  believing,  will  be  just),  "shall  be 
changed,"  and  "  caught  up  ...  to  meet  the  Lord  in 
the  air  "  (compare  1  Cor.  xv.  51,  52 ;  1  Thess.  iv.  15- 
17).  Again,  the  apostle  (1  Cor.  xv.  24)  having  spo- 
ken of  the  resurrection,  says  :  "  Then  cometh  the  end, 
when  he"  (that  is,  the  mediator)  "shall  have  delivered 
up  the  kingdom  to  God,  even  the  Father."  Thus  we 
see  that  the  resurrection  of  neither  the  righteous  nor 
the  wicked  can  take  place  until  the  e7id  of  the  media- 
torial kingdom. 

c.  The  resurrection  will  be  universal.  This  has  been 
shown  by  each  step  of  the  previous  argument.  "  All 
that  are  in  the  graves  shall  hear  the  voice  of  the  Son 
of  God,  and  they  that  hear  shall  live."  So  the  apostle, 
in  the  Revelation,  "  saw  the  dead  both  small  and  great 
stand  before  God."  It  cannot  be  otherwise,  as  then 
the  judgment  would  be  neither  universal  nor  complete. 
No  objection  to  this  can  be  taken  from  the  silence  of 
the  apostle  in  the  fifteenth  of  1st  Corinthians,  respecting 
the  resurrection  of  the  wicked,  as  there  he  is  treating 
specially  of  the  victory  over  death  vouchsafed  to  the 
I'io-hteous  in  Christ. 


Lect.  XXYII.]    THE   KESUKKF.CTION    OF   THE   BODY.  Ill 

d.  The  order  of  the  resurrection  is,  at   least,   sug- 
gested by  the  apostle,  when  he  says  :   "  Every  man  in 
his  own  order  ;  Christ  the  first-fruits,  afterward  they 
that  are  Christ's,  at  his  coming."     It  is  thus  probable 
that  the  resurrection  of  the  wicked  will  follow  that  of 
the  righteous  ;  especially,  as  all  the  texts  which  speak 
of  them  both  put  the  righteous  first.    If,  howevei',  the 
righteous  have  not  the  precedence,  the  resurrection  of 
both  will  be  simultaneous  at  the  last  day.     There  are 
those,  however,  who  think  that  they  discover  in  Scrip- 
ture a  coming  of  our  Lord  (in  person)  and  a  resurrec- 
tion of  the  righteous  previously  to  the  end  of  Christ's 
kingdom  ;  and  they  cite  in  proof  of  their  opinion  a  re- 
markable passage  in  the  fourth,  fifth,  and  sixth  verses 
of  the  twentieth  of  Revelation :     "  I  saw  thrones  and 
they  that  sat  upon  them  ;  and  judgment  was  given  unto 
them;  and  I  saw  the  souls"  [or  persons]  "of  them  that 
were  beheaded  for  the  witness  of  Jesus,  and  for  the 
word  of  God,  and  which  had  not  worshipped  the  beast, 
neither  his  image,  neither  had  received  the  mark  of  the 
beast  upon  their  foreheads  or  in  their  hands,  and  they 
lived  and  reigned  with  Christ  a  thousand  years.      But 
the  rest  of  the  dead  lived  not  until  the  thousand  years 
were  finished.     This  is  the  first  resurrection.     Blessed 
and  holy  is  he  that  hath  part  in  the  first  resurrection  ; 
on  such  the  second  death  hath  no  power,  but  they  shall 
be  priests  of  God  and  his  Christ,  and  shall  reign  with 
him  a  thousand  years."     That  there  is  difficulty  in  rec- 
onciling this   paragraph  with  other  Scriptures,  cannot 
with  candor  be  denied ;  and  if  this  were  the  only  place 
where  the  resurrection  was  spoken  of,  or  rather  were 
there  none  declaring  the  resurrection  of  the  righteous 
and  the  wicked,  we  might  infer  that  the  martyred  con- 


112  THE   BE8UEEECTI0N   OF   THE   BODY.    [Lect.  XXVII. 

fessoi's  of  the  truth  against  the  beast  (for  none  others 
are  named)  were  raised*,  and  reigned  with  Christ  for  a 
period  described  as  a  thousand  years  in  heaven,  since  it 
is  riot  said  that  thev  reigned  on  earth.  Yet  tlien  we 
should  be  troubled  at  the  assertion  that  over  them 
"  the  second  death  hath  no  power,"  since  that  would 
imply  that  all  who  were  not  martyred  for  resisting 
the  beast  were  liable  to  suffer  from  the  second  death, 
which  cannot  be  true  of  Christ's  other  most  numerous 
people.  No  ingenuity,  however,  can  rescue  this  pas- 
sage from  being  highly  figurative.  The  reference  to 
the  key  and  the  cJiain,  in  the  first  verse,  cannot  be  taken 
literally,  and  our  ready  inference  is,  that  there  is  a 
mystical  meaning  here  which  the  fulfilment  of  proph- 
ecy will  make  plain.  The  whole  book  of  the  Revela- 
tion is  full  of  such  mysticisms,  and,  though  we  catch 
glimpses  of  the  truth  from  our  knowledge  of  other 
Scriptures,  no  one  has  yet  interpreted  its  prophecy, 
spiritually  or  literally,  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  evan- 
gelical church.  Yet  Scripture  must  be  consistent  with 
Scripture ;  and  if  we  cannot  open  the  meaning  of  this 
passage,  we  can  at  least  be  sure  that  the  Scriptures 
which  literally  and  plainly  declare  the  time  of  Christ's 
coming  to  judgment  to  be  the  time  of  the  general  res- 
urrection speak  absolute  truth.  So  that  it  were  not 
wise  to  give  up  the  doctrine  of  texts  which  all  unite 
in  saying  must  be  taken  literally,  to  follow  a  doubtful 
interpretation  of  a  few^  verses  in  the  most  mystical 
book  of  the  whole  Bible.  All  should  agree  that  the 
plain  text  should  be  the  standard  of  interpretation,  not 
the  mystical.  It  is  not  consistent  with  our  present 
duty  to  enter  upon  questions  urged  by  those  who  adopt 
the  notion  of  Christ's  personal  reign  for  a  thousand 


lect.  xxvil]    the  resurrection  of  the  body.      113 

years  on  earth  before  he  comes  to  judge  the  world ;  it 
is  enough  for  us  now  that  the  concurrent  testimony  of 
many  Scriptures  assert  the  resurrection  of  all  the  right- 
eous and  the  wicked  at  the  last  day.  For  what  saith 
Job?  "Man  lieth  down  and  riseth  not;  till  the  heavens 
be  no  more  they  shall  not  awake,  nor  be  raised  out  of 
sleep."  And  what  becomes  of  our  Lord's  own  words  ? 
^'' All  that  are  in  the  graves  shall  hear  the  voice  of  the 
Son  of  God  and  shall  live,"  —  manifestly  all  at  the  one 
and  the  same  hour  of  which  he  speaks.  The  particu- 
lar instances  of  resurrection,  which  have  from  time  to 
time  occurred  for  special  reasons  of  providence,  do  not 
impair  the  general  fact ;  but  the  uprising  of  such  a 
multitude  as  the  martyrs  slain  under  the  fury  of  the 
beast  would  deny  it. 

The  change  in  the  bodies  of  those  who  shall  be  alive 
at  Christ's  coming  with  the  last  trump  will  be  simulta- 
neous with  the  resurrection  of  the  dead,  being  for  the 
same  purpose. 

e.  Our  identical  bodies  will  be  raised  ;  else  would  it 
not  be  a  resurrection  but  a  new  creation,  which  would 
defeat  the  end  of  the  resurrection.  The  Saviour's 
identical  body  was  raised,  so  shall  ours  be  ;  for  the 
one  fact  is  inseparable  from  the  other.  According  to 
Scripture,  "  our  bodies,"  "  our  vile  bodies,"  "  our 
onoi'tal  bodies,"  are  to  be  "  quickened,"  "  changed," 
•"  raised."  So  says  the  apostle  :  "  it  is  sown,"  "  it  is 
raised."  The  self-same  thing  that  is  sown  will  be 
raised.  "  In  my  flesh,"  says  Job,  "  I  shall  see  God." 
Our  Catechism  is  decided  on  this  point :  "  This  my 
body  (or  flesh),  being  raised,  shall  be  reunited  to  my 
soul  ;  "  and  so  say  the  confessions  of  all  orthodox  or 
evangelical  churches.     How  else  can   it  be  true  that 

VOL.   II.  8 


114       THE  RESURRECTION  OF  THE  BODY.      [Lect.  XXVII. 

all  that  are  in  the  graves  shall  come  forth  ;  and  those 
that  sleep  in  the  dust  shall  awake  :  how  that  the  dead 
shall  be  raised  ?  The  deadness  is  not  predicated  of  the 
soul,  and  it  cannot  be  of  a  new  body.  How  does  the 
believer  triumph  over  the  grave,  when  it  retains  its 
hold  of  his  true  body?  An  ancient  doctor  of  the 
church  truly  says,  that,  to  pretend  to  a  belief  in  a  res- 
urrection with  any  other  sense,  is  "  a  trick  of  words." 
And  Josephus  (in  a  fragment  imputed  to  him)  re- 
marks, as  the  belief  of  the  Jews,  that  "  the  resurrec- 
tion is  not  a  migration  of  the  soul  from  one  body  into 
another,  but  a  raising  up  of  the  very  same  body." 
Some  have  denied  this.  They  say  that  the  body  is 
"  changed."  But  change  does  not  imply  substitution, 
unless  when  a  thing  is  said  to  be  changed  for  another, 
which  is  not  so  in  this  case.  Our  Lord's  body  was 
"  changed  "  on  Tabor.  The  heart  is  "  changed  "  by 
the  regeneration.  Change  does  not  destroy  identical- 
ness,  but  only  transforms  to  another  fashion  or  appear- 
ance. Again,  they  say  :  "  Flesh  and  blood  cannot  in- 
herit the  kingdom  of  God  ;  "  but  the  very  next  phrase 
show^s  that  it  is  corrupt  flesh  and  blood  :  "  Neither 
doth  corruption  inherit  incorruption."  The  corrupti- 
bleness  must  be  taken  away  from  the  body,  hence  the 
necessity  of  the  change  :  "  For  this  corruptible  must 
put  on  incorruption ;  and  this  mortal,  immortality." 
The  soul  is  neither  corruptible  nor  mortal  ;  it  must, 
therefore,  be  the  body,  now  corrujitible  and  mortal, 
which  shall  put  on  incorruption  and  immortality. 

But  the  chief  difficulty  is  as  to  the  preservation  of 
the  body's  identity  after  its  particles  have  been  scat- 
tered, and  many  of  tliem,  it  may  be,  made  constituent 
particles  of  other  bodies  ;    and  sceptics  go  the  length 


Lect.  XXVII.]    THE  RESURRECTION   OF  THE  BODY.  115 

of  asserting  that  it  is  impossible  in  the  nature  of  things. 
But  let  them  first  define  what  identity  is,  and  show 
wherein  it  lies.  So  far  as  we  can  see,  that  which  con- 
stitutes the  identicalness  of  the  body  need  not,  and  we 
believe  will  not,  be  lost.  Our  bodies  are  continually 
undergoing  changes  as  to  their  particles  ;  some,  indeed, 
say  that  these  are  entirely  changed  in  the  course  of 
years ;  yet  are  they  not  the  same  ?  Is  not  the  body  of 
a  man  of  fourscore  the  same,  or  identical  with  that 
which  he  was  born  wuth  ?  Is  not  the  mighty  oak, 
waving  his  branches  over  a  wide  space,  identical  with 
the  little  shoot  that  a  hundred  years  ago  peeped  out  of 
the  acorn  ?  nay,  with  the  germ  in  the  acorn  itself? 
What,  then,  constitutes  the  actual  essence  of  the  body, 
and  what  its  mere  accidents  ?  The  accidents  change, 
we  know ;  but  does  the  substantial  essence  change  ? 
If  a  man  loses  an  arm,  is  his  body  not  the  same  ?  If 
he  loses  eyes,  ears,  limbs,  every  part  that  he  can  lose 
without  losing  life,  is  he  not  the  same  man,  and  his 
body  the  same  ?  The  truth  is,  neither  identicalness  nor 
substance  have  ever  been  defined  ;  and  it  is  absurd 
to  object  undefinable  terms  to  a  plain  fact  of  Scrip- 
ture. The  Jews,  and  the  Mohammedans  after  them, 
have  thought  that  the  identity  of  the  body  lay  in  a 
certain  indestructible  portion  of  it,*  a  germ  or  nucleus 
around  which  the  accidental  particles  of  the  body  were 
agglomerated  ;  and  which  will  be  the  germ  or  nucleus 
of  the  new  body  at  the  resurrection.  The  ingenious 
Drew,  and  some  other  eminent  moderns,  incline  to  the 
same  opinion.  This  is,  perhaps,  unnecessary  ;  yet, 
when  we  know  how  the  future  form  of  the  plant  is 

*  Tliis  the  Jews  called  the  bone,  Liel  {separation?)  and  it  corresponds  to 
tlie  OS  coccygis,  or  cuckoobill-shaped  termination  of  the  sacrum. 


116  THE  RESURRECTION  OF   THE   BODY.     [Lect.  XXVH. 

hidden  in  its  tiny  seed,  or  of  the  animal  in  the  egg, 
we  can  see  how  very  possible  it  is  that  from  a  very 
small  portion  of  the  former  body  may  be  evolved  the 
resurrection  body.  In  fact,  there  are  processes  every 
hour  in  nature  showing  exactly  the  Almighty  skill 
and  power  which  is  required  for  the  miracle  of  the 
resurrection.  It  is  sufficient  for  us  to  be  told  that  the 
body  will  be  raised  by  the  power  of  God.  He  will 
take  care  that  its  identicalness  will  be  preserved,  and 
that  nothing  will  stand  in  the  way  of  his  purpose. 
"  Why  should  it  be  thought  a  thing  incredible  that 
God  should  raise  the  dead  ?  " 

/.  Our  bodies  will  be  changed.  The  apostle  (1  Cor. 
XV.  35,  44)  illustrates  this  by  the  ordinary  process  of 
vegetation.  "  That  which  thou  sowest  is  not  quick- 
ened except  it  die."  Properly,  the  germ  does  not  die, 
but  the  husk,  and  other  substance  of  the  seed  about 
it,  corrupts  and  forms,  as  it  were,  the  manure  for  the 
vital  particle.  So,  "  thou  sowest  not  that  body  which 
shall  be,"  —  i.  e.  you  do  not  put  into  the  ground  the 
stalk  with  its  leaves  and  head,  —  "  but  bare  "  or  naked 
"  grain,"  or  seed ;  "  but  God,"  after  it  has  been  sown 
and  has  germinated,  "  gives  it  a  body  as  it  has  pleased 
him,  and  to  every  seed  its  own  body."  That  is,  accord- 
ing to  the  arrangements  he  has  prescribed  for  himself, 
each  different  kind  of  seed  produces  its  peculiar  plant. 
A  grain  of  rye  does  not  produce  a  wheat-stalk,  or  a 
grain  of  wheat  a  barley-stalk.  "  So  also  is  the  resur- 
rection of  the  dead."  The  body  sown  in  the  grave 
will  produce  its  kind,  or,  rather,  by  the  power  of  God, 
repixtduce  itself,  but  in  a  more  enduring  form.  The 
transformation  of  the  wicked  is  not  described  ;  but  that 
of  the  righteous  is  depicted  at  length  in  the  aforesaid 


Lect.  XXVII.]     THE  RESURRECTION   OF   THE  BODY.  117 

chapter  of  Corintliians,  and  elsewhere.  The  key  to 
the  whole,  as  stated  by  the  Catechism,  is  to  be  found 
in  the  fact  that  the  body  of  the  believer  shall  be  "  made 
like  unto  the  glorious  body  of  Christ."  "  Our  con- 
versation is  in  heaven,  from  whence  we  look  for  the 
Saviour,  who  shall  change  our  vile  body  that  it  may 
be  fashioned  like  unto  his  glorious  body,  according  to 
the  working  whereby  he  is  able  to  subdue  all  things 
unto  himself."  The  body  of  the  redeemed  will  be 
like  the  body  which  Christ  now  has  glorified  on  the 
throne  of  heaven.  His  body  was  planted  in  the  grave, 
wounded,  dishonored,  lifeless ;  it  was  raised  from  the 
grave  to  immortal  glory.  As  is  the  first-fruits,  "  so 
shall  be "  all  "  that  are  Christ's  at  his  comino;." 
What  his  body  was  to  be  in  glory,  the  Lord  showed 
to  the  three  apostolical  witnesses  when  they  beheld 
him  transfigured  in  glory  on  the  top  of  the  holy  mount 
Tabor ;  to  which  Peter  and  John  always  refer  when 
they  speak  of  having  "  beheld  his  glory."  So  again 
the  apostle  Paul :  "  As  we  have  borne  the  image  of  the 
earthy  (the  first  Adam),  we  shall  also  bear  the  image 
of  the  heavenly  (the  second  Adam)."  The  celestial 
body  will  differ  from  the  terrestrial  body  correspon- 
dently  as  the  sphere  of  its  celestial  activity  differs  from 
that  of  its  terrestrial  life.  Christ  was  like  us  in  all 
points  except  sin,  and,  because  he  had  no  sin,  and 
because  he  had  expiated  sin,  his  body  "  did  not  see 
corruption  ; "  but  in  every  other  respect  we  shall  be 
changed  from  what  we  are  to  what  he  is.  So  the 
apostle :  "It  is  sown  in  corruption,  it  is  raised  in  in- 
corruption  ;  it  is  sown  in  dishonor,  it  is  raised  in  glory ; 
it  is  sown  in  weakness,  it  is  raised  in  power ;  it  is  sown 
a  natural  body,  it  is  raised  a  spiritual  body." 


118  THE  KESURRECTION  OF   THE  BODY.     [Lhct.  XXVU. 

Let  US  resume  these  particulars  :  "  It  is  raised  in 
incorruption."  The  curse  of  sin  being  taken  away, 
and  the  body  fully  purged  of  its  mortal  tendencies, 
shall  never  more  know  pain  or  sickness  or  decay,  but 
shall  live  immortally  pure  and  fresh.  "  It  is  raised  in 
glory."  Death  is  a  dishonor,  the  proof  of  cursedness  ; 
but  glory,  the  full  presence,  favor,  and  light  of  God, 
M'ill  be  the  portion  of  his  children  ransomed  from 
shame  by  the  merit  of  Christ.  "  It  is  raised  in 
power."  All  its  former  weakness  shall  be  left  behind 
in  the  grave,  and  in  their  place  it  shall  be  endowed 
with  untiring  vigor  and  a  divine  energy.  "  It  is  raised 
a  spiritual  body."  The  phrase  is  at  first  sight  contra- 
dictory of  itself.  Spirit  seems  to  be  the  opposite  of 
matter.  Yet  the  body  continues  substantial  while  it 
becomes  spiritual.  The  apostle's  meaning,  however, 
evidently  is,  that,  losing  the  grossness  which  it  has  by 
our  present  natui'e,  it  partakes,  in  ethereality  and  purity, 
of  spirit.  As  in  the  transfiguration  of  Christ  the 
Divine  Spirit  within  him  shone  through  his  physical 
frame,  pervading  it  with  heavenly  lustre,  and  making 
it  like  itself  in  a  common  glory,  so  the  body  of  the 
believer,  no  longer  a  prison-house,  hindering,  oppress- 
ing, and  animalizing  the  soul,  shall  be  permeated,  filled 
in  every  part,  and  beaming  outwardly  with  the  Godlike 
Spirit. 

For,  consider  how  this  body  will  be  derived  :  not 
from  physical  generation,  but  from  the  immediate  power 
of  God.  How  it  will  be  sustained  :  not  by  food  and 
drink,  but  the  immediate  favor  of  God.  How  it  will 
be  employed  :  not  in  labor,  as  here,  consequent  upon  its 
natural  necessities,  but  in  the  holy  service  of  God. 
Hence    the   nature    of  the    spiritual     change.       They 


Lect.  XXVII.]     THE  RESURRECTION  OF  THE  BODY.  119 

"  neither  marry  nor  are  given  in  marriage,  but  are  as 
the  angels  of  God,  being  the  children  of  God."  They 
"  hunger  no  more,  neither  thirst  any  more."  They 
are  never  w^eary,  and  "  no  night "  curtains  them  from 
the  resplendent  moon.  Their  activity  is  perpetual,  and 
they  feed  on  the  "  angels'  food  "  of  divine  truth  and 
love  and  service,  and  they  drink  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
"  the  pure  river  of  the  water  of  life,"  flowing  in  perpet- 
ual tide  from  the  throne  of  God  and  the  Lamb.  Swift 
as  angels,  strong  as  cherubs,  ardent  as  seraphs,  glo- 
rious as  Christ,  there  shall  be  no  bound  to  their  action, 
no  limit  to  their  aspirations,  no  measure  to  their  energy 
but  the  nature  of  God,  in  whom  they  "  live  and  move 
and  have  their  beino^." 

If  the  bodies  of  the  saints  be  fashioned  after  the 
body  of  Christ,  after  what  fearfully  opposite  fashion 
shall  be  the  bodies  of  the  wicked  ?  If  everything  be 
taken  from  the  righteous  that  can  hinder  or  annoy  the 
jubilant  soul,  how  must  the  flesh  that  has  been  aban- 
doned to  sin  become  the  instrument  of  its  own  punish- 
ment I  — strong,  only  to  be  more  sensitive  of  pain  ;  in- 
destructible, only  that  its  anguish  may  be  eternal.  We 
shrink  now  from  the  slightest  bodily  pain,  and  in  ex- 
tremity of  suffering  look  to  death  as  a  relief;  but  no 
death  blesses  the  damned  immortal.  See  in  the  pains 
of  men  here  the  fruit  of  sin,  in  the  diseases  and  de- 
formities that  follow  intemperance  and  lust,  —  how  vice 
reacts  upon  the  transgressor;  yet  here  God  is  long- 
suffering  and  waits  to  be  gracious.  What  must  that 
death,  that  pain,  that  disease  be,  which  shall  punish  the 
sinner,  when  God  withdraws  his  restrainino;  hand  and 
gives  the  retribution  full  sweep  !  O  who  among  us 
can  lie  down  in  everlasting  burning;  ?  "  Where  their 
worm  dieth  not,  and  the  fire  is  not  quenched  !  " 


120  THE  KESURRECTION   OF  THE  BODY.      [Lkct.  XXVlf. 

First  :  The  ductrine  of  the  resurrection  should  fill 
the  believer  with  lively  joy.  So  it  affected  all  the 
apostles.  Then  only  do  they  enter  upon  the  full  frui- 
tion of  eternal  life,  and  obtain  a  perfect  victory  over 
sin  and  death  and  hell.  We  do  believe  that  "  the  souls 
of  the  righteous  at  their  death  immediately  pass  into 
glory  "  ;  but  the  soul  is  not  all  of  man,  and  his  body 
is  necessary  to  his  completeness.  We  are  forced  to 
complain  of  the  body  now  as  a  clog,  a  temptation,  and 
a  tormentor ;  but  it  is  so  only  because  it  is  a  "  body 
of  sin  and  death."  The  body  was  intended  as  a  ser- 
vant and  helpmate  to  the  soul,  to  aid  its  perceptions,  to 
minister  to  its  pleasure,  to  act  out  its  purposes.  Man  is 
thus  more  wonderful  than  the  angel,  and  of  larger  and 
more  varied  sphere  ;  for  he  unites  in  his  own  person  the 
two  grand  departments  of  creation,  —  spirit  and  matter. 
He  was  formed  to  derive  his  happiness  and  his  means 
of  glorifying  God  from  both.  He  can  neither  know  God, 
nor  serve  him,  nor  enjoy  him  so  well,  without  his  body 
as  he  can  with  it,  if  sin  and  its  effects  be  taken  away. 
Therefore  should  we  earnestly  desire  and  long  for  that 
blessed  day  when  our  bodies  shall  again  be  made  pure, 
more  glorious  than  in  their  first  creation,  and  safe  in 
their  spiritual  youth  forever.  Like  the  apostle,  we 
should  pray  for  deliverance  from  the  "  body  of  sin  and 
death  "  ;  but  also,  like  him,  "  expect  with  uplifted  head  " 
the  full  restoration  of  our  humanity  to  the  image  of 
God ;  as  Paul  says,  after  speaking  of  our  transitory 
afflictions  and  the  "  far  more  exceeding  and  eternal 
weight  of  glory  "  :  "  We  know,  that,  if  our  earthly  house 
of  this  tabernacle  (^a-Krji'yj,  tent,  as  of  a  pilgrim)  were  dis- 
solved, we  have  a  building  (oikoSo/x?;i/,  an  edifice,  or  per- 
manent structure)  of  God  (e/c  ©eou,  from  God),  a  house 


lect.  xxvil]    the  resurrection  of  the  body.       121 

not  made  with  liands,  eternal  in  the  heavens  ;  for  in 
this  we  groan,  earnestly  desiring  to  be  clothed  upon  with 
our  house  which  is  from  heaven,  if  so  be  that  being 
clothed  we  shall  not  be  found  naked.  For  we  that  are 
in  this  tabernacle  do  groan,  being  burdened  ;  not  for 
that  we  would  be  unclothed  but  clothed  upon,  that 
mortality  might  be  swallowed  up  of  life."  So  in  another: 
"  We  ourselves  groan  within  ourselves,  waiting  for  the 
adoption,  to  wit,  the  redemption  of  the  body."  The 
resurrection  completes  the  adoption,  because  only  then 
the  whole  man  is  restored  in  blessing  to  his  Father's 
heavenly  house.  Thanks !  Thanks !  "  Thanks  be 
Linto  God,  who  giveth  us  the  victory  through  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ !  "  But  oh  !  how  careful  should  we  be  to 
preserve  from  shame  and  pollution  here  the  temple  of 
the  Holy  Ghost,  which  is  destined  to  such  glory  here- 
after ! 

What  a  glorious  assembly  will  surround  the  throne 
of  our  once  crucified  but  now  exalted  Redeemer  ! 
What  a  horrible  crowd  of  sufferers  there  will  be  of 
those  who  served  to  the  evil  pleasures  of  the  flesh ! 

Gather  us,  O  God  of  love,  with  thy  people.    Amen  ! 

The  third  head  is  included  by  the  next  article,  "  The 
Life  Everlasting,"  and  will  be  treated  in  our  study  of 
the  58th  Question  and  Answer. 


LECTURE   XXVIIl. 


THE   LIFE  EVERLASTING. 


TWENTY-SECOND    LORD'S    DAY. 
THE     LIFE     EVERLASTING. 

FN  our  last  lecture,  following  the  Catechism  on  what 

occurs  to  the  believer  "after  this  life,"  we  proposed 
to  inquire 

First  :    What  becomes  of  the  soul? 

Secondly  :    What  becomes  of  the  body  ? 

Thirdly  :  What  will  be  the  final  state  of  both  body 
and  soul  f 

The  first  and  second  inquiries  we  answered  so  far  as 
God  gave  us  help.     It  now  remains  for  us  to  answer 

Thirdly  :  What  will  be  the  final  or  eternal  state  of 
both  body  and  soul  ? 

This  we  reserved  for  our  discussion  of  the  article  of 
The  Life  Everlasting,  when  his  body  and  soul 
being  inseparably  reunited,  the  redeemed  man  shall  be 
perfect  and  perfectly  blessed. 

A  more  delightful  subject  of  pious  meditation  cannot 
be  found  in  all  the  range  of  Christian  truth.  It  fitly 
crowns  the  noble  symbol  of  our  holy  catholic  evangeli- 
cal faith  ;  for  eternal  life  is  the  consummation  of  God's 
eternal  purpose  concerning  his  church,  the  great  end 
for  which  he  sent  his  only-begotten  Son  to  be  our  Sav- 
iour, the  full  reward  of  the  Redeemer's  mediatorial 
work,  the  triumph  of  the  Holy  Ghost  in  sanctifying 
grace,  and  the  entire  satisfaction  of  the  Christian's  de- 
siring hope.  Yet  should  we  not  approach  it  rashly,  but 
inquire  of  the  holy  oracle  with  reverent  caution  and 
humble  faith  ;  for  our  knowledo;e  of  thincrs  eternal  and 


126  THE  LIFE  EVERLASTING.       [Lect.  XXVIII. 

heavenly  must  in  this  hfe  be  poor  and  weak,  nor  ought 
we  to  venture  a  single  step  beyond  what  is  clearly  re- 
vealed by  hira  who  inhabiteth  eternity.  All  that  it  is 
profitable  for  us  to  know,  he  has  taught  us  in  his  Word, 
and  what  he  has  not  taught  us,  it  is  profane  to  guess. 
The  apostle  Paul  had  a  miraculous  vision  of  heaven, 
but  declared  that  it  was  "  not  lawful  for  him  to  utter  " 
what  he  there  heard ;  and  our  Catechism  cites  his 
words,  himself  quoting  from  the  prophet  Isaiah  (Ixiv. 
4)  :  "  Eye  hath  not  seen,  nor  ear  heard,  neither  have 
entered  into  the  heart  of  man  the  things  which  God 
hath  prepared  for  them  that  love  him  "  (1  Cor.  ii.  9). 
We  can  now  see  only  through  a  glass,  mercifully  shaded 
for  our  feeble  sight,  but  the  dim  perception  exceeds  the 
brightest  glory  of  earth  and  time.  Indeed,  were  there 
no  other  proof  that  the  Bible  came  from  God,  the  de- 
scription which  it  gives  of  the  blessedness  of  heaven 
would  be  enough,  so  far  does  it  transcend  the  loftiest 
achievements  of  human  genius.  Let  us,  then,  take  our 
stand  on  the  Pisgah  of  promise,  and  strive  to  catch 
through  the  mists  that  hang  over  the  stream  of  death 
some  glimpses  of  Beulah,  the  beautiful  land,  and  of  the 
Jerusalem  in  the  midst  of  it,  where  is  our  inheritance, 
"  incorruptible,  undefiled,  and  that  fadeth  not  away,  re- 
served "  for  those  "  who  are  kept  by  the  power  of  God 
through  faith  unto  salvation."  There  Jesus  the  fore- 
runner hath  for  us  entered,  and  thither  the  light  stream- 
ing down  through  the  rent  vail  will  guide  all  his  people. 
The  contemplation  will,  by  the  grace  of  the  Spirit,  in- 
crease our  love  to  God,  our  zeal  in  his  service,  our  pa- 
tience under  his  discipline,  and  our  strength  for  the 
honorable  burdens  of  duty. 

The  Catechism    (after    Scripture)    asserts  of   "  the 


Lkct.  XXVIII.]         THE  LIFE  EVERLASTING.  127 

life  everlasting  "  three  things,  the  order  of  which,  for 
logical  convenience,  we  may  change  :  — 

I.  That  it  is  the  perfection  of  salvation,  the  fulness 
of  which  no  mortal  mind  can  comprehend. 

"  After  this  life,  I  shall  inherit  eternal  salvation, 
which  eye  hath  not  seen,"  &c. 

II.  That  a  principal  part  of  this  blessedness  will  con- 
sist in  glorifying  God. 

"  And  that  to  praise  God  therein  forever." 

III.  That  the  Christian  has  the  becrinning  of  it  in 
this  world. 

"  I  now  feel  in  my  heart  the  beginning  of  eternal 

joy." 

Before  entering  upon  these  heads,  let  us  ascertain  the 
Scriptural  uses  of  the  term  "  life,"  which  are  three  : 
the  vital  principle  ;  the  duration  of  animated  existence  ; 
the  enjoyment  of  divine  favor. 

A.  What  the  vital  principle,  or  that  which  gives  vigor 
to  organized  being,  is,  no  skill  of  man  has  been  able  to 
define  or  discover.  It  seems  as  if  the  Author  of  life 
had  thrown  around  it  inscrutable  mystery ;  but  that 
there  is  a  principle,  without  which  the  most  perfect 
organization  were  inert,  and  losing  which  would  dis- 
solve, is  evident ;  and  this  is  called  life.  Life  holds  the 
organization  together,  and  maintains  in  exercise  its  ap- 
propi'iate  functions.  Thus  we  read  :  "  The  Lord  God 
formed  man  of  the  dust  of  the  ground,  and  breathed 
into  his  nostrils  the  breath  of  life "  (Hebrew,  lives^. 
The  body,  with  all  its  wonderful  anatomy  complete, 
was  formed  out  of  dust ;  it  was  in  appearance  and  real- 
ity a  human  body  ;  but  it  was  not  a  living  body  ;  the 
several  parts  of  its  exquisite  machinery  were  still  and 
insensible  ;  there  was  no  motive  power,  no  pervading 


128  THE   LIFE  EVERLASTING.         [Lect.  XXYIII. 

energy,  until  God  inspired  it  with  life  :  then  all  began 
to  act ;  the  man  was  alive  ;  he  had  become  "  a  living 
soul,"  or  person.*  The  breath  was  not  the  life,  but 
life  gave  the  power  of  breathing  the  air  essential  to  its 
support,  though  it  may  be  inferred  that  the  inspiration 
of  breath  by  tlie  power  of  God  gave  the  first  impulse 
to  the  respiratory  organs.  Man  became  a  living  soul ; 
but  even  should  we  believe  that  soul  refers  absolutely 
to  the  spiritual  part  of  man's  nature,  which  he,  un- 
doubtedly, at  that  moment  received,  we  must  not  sup- 
pose that  the  soul  was  the  animating  principle,  since 
other  animals  have  corporeal  life  in  common  with  man  ; 
nor  can  we  discover  any  difference  between  animal  life 
in  man  and  in  the  brute.  There  was  thus  a  life,  not 
arising  from  the  corporeal  organization,  but  communi- 
cated subsequently  to  its  having  been  formed  out  of  the 
dust.  The  soul  being  infused  at  the  same  moment  that 
the  animal  life  was  given,  the  man  in  his  double  nature, 
body  and  soul,  was  complete  ;  but  the  animating  prin- 
ciple, or  life,  was  not  either  body  or  soul,  nor  was  it 
consequent  upon  the  union  of  the  two,  but  something 
distinct  from  both  ;  yet,  according  to  the  constitution  of 
man,  holding  them  together  ;  so  that  should  the  life  be 
withdrawn,  the  union  of  body  and  soul  is  dissolved, 
and  the  body  returns  to  its  dust.  It  follows  that,  if  the 
force  of  life  be  in  any  degree  impaired,  the  acting  of 
the  bodily  functions  must  be  correspondently  hindered 
and  disordered  ;  so  that  weakness,  pain,  disease,  and 
altogether  the  present  tendency  of  our  bodies  to  disso- 

*  This  translation  of  tlie  Hebrew  term  is  justified  by  comparison  of  sacred 
Scriptures.  See  remarks  on  Soul  in  tiie  lecture  on  tlie  Descent  into  Ilell. 
To  suppose  that  the  spiritual  soul  was  the  breath  of  God  would  be  to  adopt 
the  theory  of  emmtation,  which  is  opposed  to  the  Scripture  doctrine  of  univer- 
sal creation. 


Lect.  XXVIII.]         the  life   EVERLASTING.  129 

lutioii,  prove  the  depravation  of  the  animating  princi- 
ple, and  that  death,  the  opposite  of  life,  has  begun  its 
work.  Thus,  when  man  sinned,  the  threatened  sen- 
tence of  death  passed  upon  him.  "  In  the  day,"  the 
self-same  day,  "  thou  eatest  thereof,  thou  shalt  surely 
die."  Adam  lived  (in  common  language)  many  years 
l.efore  his  actual  death,  but  from  the  moment  of  his 
sin  he  began  to  die.  What  we  call  death  was  the  fin- 
ishing of  the  mortal  process.  So  has  "  death  passed 
upon  all  men,  for  that  all  have  sinned."  The  resurrec- 
tion of  the  bodies  of  all  men  immediately  before  the 
judgment  shows  that  God,  when  creating  man,  in- 
tended him  for  a  never-ending  existence,  body  and  soul ; 
so  that  death  as  the  punishment  of  sin  cannot  be  anni- 
hilation, but  must  mean,  as  in  the  bodies  of  the  wicked 
after  the  judgment,  such  a  curse  as  turns  its  qualities 
and  functions  into  sources  of  pain  and  misery  ;  while, 
on  the  other  hand,  the  eternal  life  which  God  bestows 
on  the  bodies  of  the  righteous  will  be  an  indestructible, 
never-failing  vigor,  preserving  it  from  all  the  ills  that 
flesh  is  now  heir  to,  in  a  perpetual  youth,  symmetry, 
and  beauty,  —  nay,  doubtless,  continually  and  forever 
developing  its  pure  properties  and  enhancing  its  genuine 
delights. 

The  soul,  we  are  accustomed,  and  rightly,  to  consider 
an  uncompounded  spirit,  that  is,  without  any  articula- 
tion of  parts  such  as  constitute  the  substantial  body. 
Yet  we  have  melancholy  evidence  that  the  soul  mav 
lose  its  healthfulness  and  justness  of  action,  nay,  be- 
come diseased  and  disordered  ;  so  that  it  is  not  pushing 
analogy  too  far  if  we  believe  that  the  soul,  also,  has  a 
life  other  than  its  spiritual  nature,  —  a  life  which  God 
gives  or  restrains  as  in  his  holy  will  he  chooses.     When 

VOL.  II.  9 


130  THE  LIFE  EVERLASTING.        [Lpxt.  XXVIII. 

that  vital  energy  is  in  any  degree  withdrawn,  the  soul 
sickens,  is  disturbed,  and  wars  against  itself.  This 
death  is  the  penalty  of  sin,  now  operating  in  a  partial 
manner,  but  after  the  judgment  having  its  full  effect 
on  the  conscious  soul  in  unspeakable  and  utter  anguish  ; 
so  the   eternal    life,   which  will  reio-n  in  the  glorified 

'  OCT 

spirit  of  the  redeemed,  will  be  a  Godward  energy,  per- 
vading all  its  faculties,  affections,  and  dispositions  with 
a  holy  strength  and  ever-increasing  delight. 

Nay,  we  discover  in  many  passages  of  Scripture  that 
there  is  a  life  peculiar  to  the  moral  being  of  man.  The 
effect  of  sin  is,  clearly,  to  deprive  us  of  power  to  do 
good.  We  were  utterly  "  without  strength,"  had  not 
"  Christ  died  for  the  ungodly."  Our  "  whole  head  is 
sick,  and  "  our  "  whole  heart  is  faint."  Hence,  we  are 
plainly  told  that  Christ  must  give  us  life  before  we  can 
again  serve  God.  "  Awake,  thou  that  sleepest,  and  arise 
from  the  dead,  and  Christ  shall  give  thee  light ;  "  and 
"  the  life  is  the  light  of  men."  The  quarrel  of  Christ 
with  us  fallen  sinners  is,  not  that  we  do  not  serve  him 
with  our  own  present  strength,  for  we  have  none,  but 
that  we  will  not  come  unto  him  that  we  may  have  life, 
a  new  life  given  in  regeneration,  the  renewal  of  that 
energy  for  good  which  was  lost  by  the  fall,  though  in  a 
higher  degree.  "  I  am  come,"  saith  the  Saviour,  "that 
they  might  have  life,  and  that  they  might  have  it  more 
abundantly."  Again,  he  says,  "  I  give  unto  them  eter- 
nal life."  This  moral  revivification  is,  we  know,  im- 
parted by  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  is  maintained  by  his 
dwelling  in  the  soul ;  but  yet  it  is  the  effect  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  not  the  Holy  Ghost  himself.  There  can 
be  no  doiibt  of  such  an  enercv  beino;  wrouo;ht  in  the 
soul.     Call  it  ])v  Avhat  name  you  will,  there  must  bo 


Lect.  XXVIII.]         THE  LIFE  EVERLASTING,  131 

communication  of  moral  ability,  which  we  have  not  by 
nature,  before  we  can  do  the  works  of  God  ;  and  this 
principle,  imparted  by  regeneration,  becomes  thence- 
forward and  forever  a  property  of  the  soul  itself,  be- 
cause it  is  the  free  unrevocable  gift  of  Christ.  It  is  to 
our  moral  nature  what  animal  life  is  to  the  body ;  and 
the  aforecited  texts  warrant  us  in  calling  it  life.  The 
animal  life  is  not  the  body,  but  pervades  it ;  the  life  of 
the  soul  is  not  the  soul,  but  pervades  it ;  so  the  moral 
life  is  not  our  moral  nature,  but  pervades  it.  It  is  be- 
gun the  moment  we  believe  in  Christ ;  the  believer  is 
conscious  of  its  genial  warmth,  though  here  it  struggles 
with  many  hindrances ;  and  after  the  soul's  admission 
to  the  presence  of  God  in  heaven,  it  will  be  perfect, 
unchecked,  exulting  in  every  pulse  of  the  sanctified, 
glorified,  Christ-like  heart. 

B.  The  second  sense  which  the  Scriptures  give  to  life^ 
is,  the  duration  of  animated  existence.  Employing  or- 
dinary phraseology,  the  sacred  writers  give  the  name 
life  to  the  period  of  our  existence  here.  "  What  is 
your  life?"  asks  the  apostle ;"  it  is  even  as  a  vapour, 
that  appeareth  for  a  little  time,  and  then  vanisheth 
away."  So,  when  recognizing  the  immortality  of  the 
soul,  we  say  that  it  will  live  forever^  whether  in  doom 
or  in  bliss ;  though  eternal  life,  especially  and  emi- 
nently, describes  the  unending  existence  of  the  right- 
eous in  heaven. 

^  C.  The  third  sense  which  we  note  is,  the  enjoyment 
of  the  divine  favor.  As  death  is  instant  on  the  wrath 
of  God,  so  is  life  on  his  favor.  We  are  also  accustomed 
to  call  that  which  gives  to  life  its  value  and  delight, 
life^  intensifying  its  sense.  Without  happiness,  life  has 
the  gloom  of  death,  and,  by  a  natural  figure,  that  which 


132  THE   LIFE   EVEHLASTING.         [Lect.  XXVIIl. 

confers  a  second  happiness,  even  the  favor  of  God,  may 
well  be  denominated  "  the  life  of  life."  But  as  this 
sense,  being  rhetorical,  is  covered  by  the  former  two, 
we  speak  of  it  here  only  to  remind  ourselves  from 
Scripture  that  there  is  no  true  health  or  bliss  or  moral 
goodness,  in  this  world  or  the  next,  that  is  not  derived 
from  the  favor  of  God,  which  can  reach  us  sinners  only 
through  the  mediatorial  merits  of  his  Son  Jesus  Christ. 
"  With  thee  is  the  fountain  of  life,"  says  the  Psalmist; 
"  in  thy  light  shall  we  see  light." 

From  these  considerations  and  Scriptures,  we  learn 
what  are  the  elements  of  "  eternal  life,"' and  to  perceive 
the  excellence  of  the  several  statements  respecting  it 
in  the  lesson  of  the  Catechism  for  to-day. 

1.  The  definition:  "Life  everlasting"  is  '"'•perfect 
salvation^'''  the  fulness  of  which  no  mortal  mind  can 
comprehend. 

Man  came  from  the  Creator's  hand  in  the  possession 
of  perfect  life,  health,  and  full  vigor  in  his  body,  mind, 
and  moral  nature,  the  image  of  God  reflected  from  his 
soul,  and  securing  to  him  the  favor  of  God  and  a  cor- 
respondent participation  of  divine  pleasures.  So  in  the 
first  covenant,  which  was  between  God  and  man  im- 
mediately (i.  e.  mah  himself),  there  is  no  promise  of  life 
to  his  obedience ;  he  had  life  already,  but  only  a  threat- 
ening of  death  on  his  disobedience  :  "  In  the  day  thou 
eatest  thereof  thou  shalt  surely  die."  Had  he  con- 
tinued obedient,  he  would  have  been  ever  in  harmony 
with  the  divine  character  and  will,  and,  consequently, 
with  the  divine  administration  of  all  things,  so  that 
nothing  in  himself  or  in  outward  things  could  have 
impaired  his  powei*s  or  his  happiness.  Yet  his  life, 
being  contingent  on  his  own  merits,  could  not  be  said 


Lect.  XXVIII.]        THE   LIFE    EVEULASTING.  133 

to  be  absolutely  eternal,  since  it  might  be,  as  it  was, 
lost.  When  he  sinned,  so  transgressing  the  laws  im- 
posed upon  his  moral  being,  he  violated  that  harmony 
between  him  and  God,  putting  himself  into  conflict 
with  the  divine  will  and  administration,  the  conse- 
quence of  which  could  be  none  other  than  destruction 
and  misery.  The  wrath  of  God  took  the  place  of 
God's  favor ;  the  laws  of  nature,  against  which  he 
dashed  himself,  shivered  his  being  by  his  own  force 
against  their  irresistible  steadfastness  ;  and  drinking  in 
his  thirst  from  other  springs  than  those  of  the  divine 
pleasures,  he  could  derive  from  thpm  only  misery,  — 
since,  as  God  is  infinitely  blessed,  what  God  draws  no 
satisfaction  from  must  be  evil,  and  only  evil,  to  his 
moral  creatures.  Death,  therefore,  came  upon  man, 
not  only  from  the  adjudged  penalty,  but  also,  and  as 
a  providential  necessity,  from  the  eternal  nature  of 
tilings. 

It  is  to  be  noted  that  the  sin  which  "  brought  in 
death  and  all  our  woe,"  involved  the  depraved  action 
of  the  entire  man.  His  heart  withdrew  his  affection- 
ate reverence  for  God's  parental  authority,  trust  in 
God's  parental  wisdom,  and  reliance  upon  God's  pa- 
rental care.  His  will,  following  a  perverted  judgment, 
chose  a  method  for  his  welfare  adversely  opposite  to 
that  which  God  had  proposed  to  him,  and  his  reason- 
ing was  as  untrue  as  his  heart  was  unfaithful.  His 
senses  were  abused  to  stimulate  a  wicked  lust  for  the 
thing  forbidden,  by  tampering  with  the  beauty  and  fra- 
grance and  relish  of  the  fruit,  in  the  eating  of  which 
lie  proposed  to  himself  the  acquisition  of  an  ungodly 
knowledge.  His  hand  and  mouth  consented  to  put 
within   his   bodv  the  seeds  which  he  was  forewarned 


134  THE   LIFE   EVERLASTING.        [[.ect.  XXVIII 

were  fatal.  Hence  death  came  upon  his  whole  nature, 
—  his  body,  his  spirit,  and  his  moral  faculties  ;  because 
each  and  all  were  in  opposition  to  him,  who  is  the  only 
source  of  life  and  blessedness.  His  body  became  cor- 
ruptible, his  understanding  dark  and  erring,  his  heart 
depraved ;  all  at  variance  with  each  other  and  with  all 
the  order  of  the  divine  government,  because  at  vari- 
ance with  God  himself;  for  great  as  is  the  conflict 
which  the  sinner  enters  into  with  external  things, 
there  is  a  yet  greater  conflict  which  his  human  nature 
finds  within  himself;  —  the  flesh,  the  judgment,  the 
heart,  his  appetites,  his  choice,  his  reason,  and  his  de- 
sires, no  longer  respecting  each  other's  safe  limits,  but 
abusing,  deceiving,  enslaving,  and  torturing  each  other, 
provoking  each  other's  vengeance,  and  accomi)lishing 
on  each  other  and  themselves  the  vengeance  of  God. 

The  full  execution  of  the  sentence  is  not  accom- 
plished, because  of  the  remedial  plan  proclaimed  imme- 
diately after  the  fall  ;  nor  will  be  until,  after  the  resur- 
rection, the  mediatorial  Judge  will  complete  the  divine 
justice  upon  all  who  reject  his  grace,  in  their  eternal 
death.  But  even  now  in  the  restrained  degree  of  that 
wrath,  what  fearful  evidence  do  we  see  of  this  suicidal, 
oreneral  war  of  man  ao-ainst  himself,  and  man  against 
his  brother !  If  right  reason  prevailed,  his  desires,  his 
affections,  his  appetites,  would  be  all  controlled  by  the 
just  and  not  invisible  laws  which  God  has  set  for  them  ; 
now  itself  seduced,  its  perceptions  blinded,  under  its  de- 
praved bias,  reason  struggles  against  itself,  sets  its  inge- 
nuity to  defend  error,  pleads  for  crime,  and  justifies 
revolt  even  from  its  own  logic,  or,  at  a  loss  for  further 
sophistry,  abandons  its  royal  prerogative,  and  serves  like 
u  captive  consenting  to  degradation,  a  willing  slave  to 


Lect.  XXVIII.]  THE   LIFE  EVEKLASTING.  135 

the  imbruted  flesh.     Thus  erring  and  extravag-ant  be- 
es o 

yond  the  hmits  of  divine  rule,  man  blunders  and  entan- 
gles himself  with  the  interests  of  others,  to  which,  were 
all  faithful,  there  would  be  perpetual  accord ;  until 
envy,  fi'aud,  falsehood,  jealousy,  hate,  rapine,  and  mur- 
der break  the  securities  of  social  peace,  load  the  pain- 
ful earth  with  almshouses  and  prisons,  arm  nations 
against  nations  with  the  very  sulphureous  fires  of  hell, 
and  deluge  the  fields,  eager  for  harvests  of  plenty,  in 
floods  of  human  gore.  If  such  be  the  death  which  sin 
brings  upon  man  even  while  the  Saviour  pleads,  what 
must  be  its  horrible  throes  and  burnings  and  cruelties 
in  that  world  of  fiends,  where  the  wrath  of  the  Lamb 
will  abandon  the  world  of  human  transgressors  to  the 
unchecked  and  ever-increasing  fury  of  their  own  pas- 
sions and  eternal  hates. 

Now,  says  our  instructor,  eternal  life  is  perfect  salva- 
tion. It  is,  and  has  been  from  all  eternity,  the  blessed 
purpose  of  God  to  rescue,  through  Christ,  the  lost  sin- 
ner who  will  accept  the  grace  from  eternal  death,  and 
by  consequence  to  endow  the  penitent  believer  with  a 
new  life  ;  and  as  this  mercy  and  love  is  justified,  not  by 
any  merit  of  his  own,  but  solely  through  the  atoning 
merits  of  Christ,  so  its  perpetuity,  not  contingent  on 
man's  fallible  obedience,  but  bestowed  freely  in  reward 
of  Christ's  infinite  merit,  becomes  secure,  and  the  new 
hfe  is  eternal.  This  new,  infallible  life  is  more  than 
the  effect  of  pardon.  The  sentence  of  death  was,  in- 
deed, the  sovereign  act  of  God  ;  but  it  was  also  in  en- 
tire, we  may  even  say  necessary,  consistence  with  his 
holy  nature,  and  holy  administration  of  things  ;  so  that 
the  mere  pardon,  were  it  possible,  would  yet  leave  man 
in  the  natural  deplorable  consequences  of  liis  rebellion 


186  THE   LIFE  P:VERLASTING.  [Lect.  XXVIII. 

against  the  order  of  his  own  nature  and  the  laws  ot" 
the  universe.  Hence  there  must  be  a  restoration  of  life 
from  God  to  man,  life  in  his  moral  being,  life  in  his 
soul,  life  in  his  body,  so  that  all  may  be  brought  into 
and  secured  in  a  vigorous,  harmonious  activity  and  de- 
light :  vigorous,  because  maintained  by  the  divine  power 
of  the  giver;  harmonious  and  delightful,  because  in  har- 
mony with  the  will  of  the  ever-blessed  and  gracious 
God. 

This  salvation  is  promised,  and  in  heaven  will  be 
accomplished  for  all  that  believe,  —  perfect  life  for  the 
moral  being,  perfect  life  for  the  reason,  perfect  life  for 
the  body.  There,  in  that  second  more  glorious  paradise, 
the  believer  shall  enjoy  life  immeasurably  more  abundant 
than  that  of  which  sin  has  robbed  us,  because  it  will  be 
wrought  in  us,  through  the  intercession  of  Christ,  by 
the  creative  energy  and  indwelling  power  of  the  Holy 
Ghost.  There  the  heart,  filled  with  the  love  of  God, 
will  forever  be  above  weakness  or  temptation  ;  the  rea- 
son, filled  with  the  light  of  God,  will  never  know 
shade,  bias,  or  error  ;  and  the  body,  purged  from  all 
grossness  by  the  transformation  of  the  grave  and  the 
resurrection,  animated  in  every  part  with  ever-youth- 
ful health,  and  spiritualized  into  a  near  likeness  of  the 
transfiguring  soul,  will  forever  serve,  assist,  and  en- 
hance the  blessedness  of  its  immortal  spirit ;  and  the 
entire  man  be  so  perfect,  as  to  be  perfectly  holy,  wise, 
and  vigorous,  but  not  so  perfect  that  he  will  cease  to 
ascend  higher  and  higher,  expanding  more  and  more, 
enjoying  greater  and  greater  bliss,  because  more  and 
more  like  God.  Were  either  element  of  this  eternal 
life  withheld,  the  bliss  and  salvation  would  be  incom- 
plete.    The  purest  heart  would  suffer  from  an  erring 


Lect.  XXVIII.]         THE  LIFE  EVERLASTING.  1B7 

or  a  weak  mind,  the  noblest  intellect  from  a  diseased  or 
feeble  body  ;  but  the  gospel  promises  the  perfection  of 
all ;  and  only  in  faith  upon  that  revelation  can  the  man, 
called  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus,  say,  as  he  looks  up  from 
the  sorrows,  infirmities,  follies,  and  sins  of  this  present 
world  :  "  When  I  awake  with  thy  likeness,"  O  God, 
"  I  shall  be  satisfied^ 

Oh,  what  peace,  what  strength,  what  consciousness 
of  truth,  what  self-delight,  what  Godlike  energy  of 
thought  and  love  and  purpose,  shall  be  accounted 
worthy  to  enter  that  kingdom  on  whose  throne  Christ 
sits,  the  second  Adam,  the  representative  of  the  peni- 
tent, and  the  pattern  of  his  glorified  ones  !  Faint  are 
our  guesses,  because,  though  the  revelation  be  rich,  our 
sin-weakened  souls  cannot  take  in  the  glory.  "  Eye 
hath  not  seen,  nor  ear  heard,  nor  have  entered  into  the 
heart  of  man,  O  God,  the  things  which  thou  hast  pre- 
pared for  them  that  love  thee  !  " 

But,  blessed  be  thy  name,  what  we  "  know  not  now, 

we  shall  know  hereafter  !  " 

"  No  sin  to  cloud,  no  lure  to  stay 
The  soul  as  on  she  spi-ings  ; 
Thy  light  upon  her  joyous  way, 
Thy  sunshine  on  her  wings  !  " 

Nor  may  we  deny  ourselves  the  edification  and  happi- 
ness of  completing  the  contrast  of  eternal  life  to  the 
evils  and  miseries  which  sin  has  brought  upon  our 
fallen  race.  Man  is  essentially  a  social  being,  bound 
to  his  fellows  by  indissoluble  ties,  communicating  and 
deriving  happiness  or  misery,  as  righteousness  or  sin 
produce  their  effects  on  individual  character.  We  see 
what  sin  has  wrought  in  the  crimes  and  conflicts  of  the 
world  ;  but  in   that  new  world,  among  the  ransomed 


138  THE   LIFE  EVERLASTING.  [Lect.  XXVIIL 

race  of  the  second  Adam,  the  personal  life  of  the  be- 
liever will  appear  beyond  all  imagination  more  grand, 
glorious,  and  full  of  rapture,  in  the  life  of  the  whole 
countless  company  !  Each  will  see  in  every  other  of 
his  Christ-like  brethren  the  image  of  his  own  God  ; 
the  same  exulting  consent  to  eternal  truth  ;  the  same 
adoring  love  of  the  ever-blessed  Trinity,  Father,  Sav- 
iour, anH  Sanctifier  ;  the  same  burning  zeal  of  service, 
thanksgiving,  and  praise  ;  the  same  beauty  of  form  and 
countenance,  radiant  as  Christ's  transfigured  on  the 
mount;  no  sorrow  in  his  own  heart,  no  doubt  in  his 
own  mind,  no  weakness  in  his  own  flesh  ;  and  no  sym- 
pathy with  another's  pain,  or  pity  for  another's  error, 
or  yearning  over  another's  unbelief.  All  are  as  holy 
and  as  happy  as  himself;  and  as  they  move  each  after 
his  own  sanctified  will  on  the  various  offices  and  errands 
of  heavenly  duty,  there  is  neither  shock  nor  confusion  ; 
and  as  they  unite  their  voices  in  unanimous  joy,  there 
is  not  amidst  the  innumerable  chorus  one  discordant 
note  or  faltering  cadence  or  minor  accident.  There, 
there  shall  be  no  envy,  for  all  shall  be  rich  in  God;  nor 
strife,  for  all  shall  be  satisfied.  Oil,  Avhat  a  world  will 
it  be  where  shall  be  no  sick-bed,  no  watcher  beside 
the  helpless  suflTerer,  no  grave,  no  mourner,  no  dread 
of  harm  to  those  we  love  !  —  no  clamor,  no  wrong,  no 
murder,  no  battle  !  —  but  peace,  like  a  cloudless  noon, 
will  fill  the  atmosphere  with  golden  radiance,  and  every 
spirit  overflow  with  love  and  joy  and  sympathy  of  per- 
fect bliss.     It  must  follow, 

II.  That   a   principal    part   of  this   blessedness   will 
consist  in  glorifying  God. 

"And  that  to  praise  God  therein  forever." 

The  most  lively  idea  we   get  of  heaven    from   the 


Lkct.  XXVIII.]  the  life  EVERLASTING.  139 

scriptural  revelations  is  that  of  a  vast  throng  of  glori- 
fied saints  and  radiant  angels  standing  around  the 
throne  of  God  and  the  Lamb,  sinmno;  to  their  golden 
harps  responsive  and  symphonious  hallelujahs  ;  cheru- 
bim and  seraphim,  angel  and  archangel,  admii'ing  and 
applauding  the  divine  attributes  and  works  ;  ransomed 
sinners  joining  in  the  doxologies,  but  celebrating  in 
strains,  at  once  more  tender  and  exulting,  the  wondrous 
mysteries  of  redeeming  love,  which  brought  them  from 
the  depths  of  sin  and  shame  and  misery  to  the  height 
of  holy,  glorious,  triumphant  life.  Not  that  such  exulta- 
tions are  all  the  employ  of  heaven.  The  active  natures 
of  the  happy  myriads  have  other  faculties  to  be  enlisted 
in  the  divine  honor.  Eye  hath  not  seen,  nor  ear  heard, 
neither  hath  it  entered  into  the  conceptions  of  man  to 
conjecture  the  methods  of  gratitude  in  which  they  will 
display  their  love  and  admiration  of  the  divine  Bene- 
factor ;  doubtless  there  will  be  many  and  various  ser- 
vices of  the  divine  will  in  that  exalted  sphere  of  truth 
and  holiness  ;  but  the  intention  of  tlie  Holy  Ghost  is 
to  teach  us  that  praise  will  be  the  spirit  and  motive  of 
all  the  heavenly  engagements.  Now  and  since  the  fall, 
the  church  on  earth  has  been  struo-oline;  on  against  sin, 
and  opposition  of  the  world,  the  flesh,  and  the  devil, 
hoping,  desiring,  anticipating,  praying  for  grace  and 
victory,  but  yet  not  in  possession  of  the  exceeding- 
great  and  precious  things  promised  by  the  everlasting 
covenant.  Even  our  divine  Lord  and  example  in  the 
days  of  his  flesh  made  supplication  for  help  and  suc- 
cour with  strong  crying  and  tears,  while  for  the  joy  set 
before  him  he  endured  the  cross,  despising  the  shame  ; 
and  now  maketh  continual  intercession  for  his  followers 
as  they  are  fighting  their  way  up  from  the  vale  of  tears 


140  THE  LIFE   EVERLASTING.         [Lect.  XXVIIL 

to  the  lieiglits  of  the  celestial  Zion,  expecting  till  his  and 
their  enemies  are  put  under  his  feet.  But  then,  when 
the  ransomed  of  the  Lord  have  all  reached  home,  with 
"  songs  and  everlasting  joy  upoii  their  heads  "  (vide 
Isaiah  xxxv.  10),  the  mighty  work  will  have  been 
accomplished ;  the  sword  and  the  shield  will  be  flung 
aside,  that  the  hands  may  strike  the  golden  strings,  or 
bear  aloft  the  victor's  palm.  There  will  be  no  more 
need  of  prayer,  for  the  Redeemer's  own  soul  will  be  sat- 
isfied ;  no  more  space  for  longing  desire,  for  all  shall  be 
filled  with  glory  :  faith  will  have  done  her  office,  and, 
standing  beside  the  throne,  point  backward  to  the  man- 
ger and  the  cross  ;  while  hope,  calmly  leaning  on  her 
anchor,  will  look  onward  along  the  ever-opening  ages, 
spanned  by  the  rainbow,  and  see  naught  but  ever-in- 
creasing developments  of  perfect  life  ;  and  love,  having 
cast  her  crown  at  the  feet  of  her  Lord,  will  ask,  "  What 
shall  I  render  for  all  these  benefits?"  —  and  memory 
will  recall  with  never-wearying  re})etitions  all  the  lov- 
ing-kindnesses of  that  i*edeeming  grace,  which  led  and 
sustained  and  comforted  the  pilgrim  all  along  his  weary 
way  to  the  rest  and  plenty  of  his  Father's  house.  Wide 
as  heaven  is,  strong  as  the  glorified  faculties  will  be, 
there  then  can  be  foimd  neither  space  nor  energy  for 
aught  but  praise,  —  ])raise  "forever  telling,  yet  untold." 

And  that  the  believer  may  be  assured  of  his  heav- 
enly inheritance,  he  has  the  earnest  of  it  even  here. 

III.  He  feels  in  his  heart  the  beginning  of  eternal 
joy.  "  In  him,"  (Christ,)  says  the  apostle,  "  after  that 
ye  believed,  ye  were  sealed  with  that  holy  Spirit  of 
promise,  which  is  the  earnest  of  our  inheritance,  until 
the  redemption  of  the  purchased  possession."  Eternal 
life  is  given  to  us  the  moment  that  we  believe,  —  not 


Lect.  XXVIII.]  THE  LIFE   EVEHLASTING.  141 

the  fulness  of  life  everlasting,  but  the  actual  beginning 
of  it.  It  is  begun  in  feebleness,  like  the  life  of  a  new- 
born babe  ;  but  it  is  the  same  life  which  shall  animate 
and  give  celestial  vigor  to  the  man  made  perfect  in 
Christ  Jesus.  It  is  begun  by  the  indwelling  of  the 
same  spirit  which  will  irradiate  the  saints  on  high  with 
divine  glory.  It  is  the  Spirit  of  Christ  which  implants 
the  image  of  Christ,  at  once  the  seal  and  sum  of  heav- 
enly perfection  ;  as  by  the  Holy  Ghost  the  child  who 
now  sits  the  man  Christ  Jesus  on  his  peerless  throne, 
"  Christ  in  you  the  hope  of  glory."  Hence  it  follows 
that  there  must  be  correspondent  manifestations  in  the 
believer.  The  life  eternal  must  show  itself  in  the 
growing  change  of  his  whole  nature  from  the  death  of 
sin.  "You  hath  he  quickened  which  were  dead  in 
trespasses  and  sins."  Thus  there  will  be  new  life  in 
our  moral  faculties.  "  Ye  are  his  workmanship," 
says  the  apostle,  "  created  in  Christ  Jesus  unto  good 
works."  This  is  more  than  persuasion,  more  even 
than  light.  It  is  the  communication  of  a  new  princi- 
ple, "  Ye  have  not  chosen  me,"  saith  our  Lord,  "  but 
I  have  chosen  you,  and  ordained  you,  that  ye  should 
go  and  bring  forth  fruit,  and  that  your  fruit  micdit 
remain."  It  is  the  blessed  piu'chase  of  Christ  for  his 
people,  and  his  gift  to  his  people,  —  the  purchase  and 
gift  of  him  who  died  for  the  ungodly,  and  those  who 
are  without  strength,  that  he  might  "  save  his  people 
from  their  sins  "  ;  and  this  he  does  by  sending  his 
Spirit,  the  Holy  Ghost,  to  beget  them  to  a  new  and 
holy  life,  which  though  begun  and  carried  gradually 
on  amidst  their  remaining  sins  and  infirmities,  he  will 
by  the  same  spirit  consummate  in  everlasting  glory. 
Hence  the  believer,  though  once  without  God  in  the 


142  THE  LIFK   EVERLASTING.        [I.kct.  XXVIII. 

world,  not  subject  to  the  law  of  God,  and  utterly  in- 
capable of  such  obedience,  his  heart  enmity  against 
God,  and  his  will  as  prone  to  evil  as  the  sparks  natu- 
rally fly  upward,  is  now  changed  in  all  his  aims,  pur- 
poses, and  desires.  He  loves  God ;  he  has  in  his  heart 
the  spirit  of  a  child,  and  is  conscious  of  a  strength  not 
his  own  to  do  the  things  he  loves  and  desires  to  do. 
His  love,  his  strength,  his  desires  are  not  perfect  as  they 
should  be  ;  he  is  yet  compassed  about  with  infirmity, 
temptation,  and  sin ;  but  grace  is  in  his  heart,  strug- 
gling with  them  all,  and,  if  he  is  faithful  at  the  throne 
of  grace,  daily  achieving  some  victory,  and  making 
progress  to  his  final  perfection.  The  tide  of  his  soul 
has  changed,  and  where  it  once  flowed  in  a  fearful  ebb 
downward  to  death,  it  now  takes  a  flood  toward  God 
and  heaven.  Every  believer,  not  perhaps  always,  or 
at  least  not  always  in  an  equal  degree,  is  conscious  of 
this,  and  he  rejoices  in  the  gift,  and  in  the  hope  of 
eternal  life,  of  which  it  is  the  earnest  and  the  assur- 
ance. But  when  the  love  of  God,  the  law  of  God,  the 
glory  of  God  are  not  the  ruling  motives  of  our  present 
life,  when  the  direction  of  our  desires,  the  aim  of  our 
hopes,  are  not  toward  the  holiness  of  heaven,  we  have 
no  warrant  to  expect  that  we  shall  escape  the  bitter 
pains  of  eternal  death.  The  life  must  be  begun  here, 
or  it  will  never  be  ours  beyond  the  grave.  Faith  — 
faith  the  gift  of  God,  faith  fruitful  of  good  Avorks  — 
alone  is  the  substance  of  things  hoped  for,  and  the 
evidence  of  things  not   seen. 

As  with  moral  life,  so  is  it  with  life  in  the  under- 
standing. Wc  are  by  nature  alienated  from  the  life 
of  God  through  the  ignorance  that  is  in  us.  Sin  has 
depraved  our  judgment  and  distorted  our  perceptions. 


I.ECT.  XXViri.]         THE  LIFE  EVERLASTING.  143 

Whatever  reason  Ave  may  have  about  other  matters, 
(and  there  our  best  reason  is  full  of  error,)  we  have, 
and  can  have,  no  true  knowledge  of  holy  things.  The 
eyes  of  our  understanding  must  be  enlightened  before 
w'e  can  receive  divine  teaching.  "  The  natural  man 
receiveth  not  the  things  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  for  they 
are  foolishness  unto  him  ;  neither  can  he  know  them, 
because  they  are  spiritually  discerned."  There  must, 
therefore,  be  oiven  to  the  understandino-  a  new  life,  an 
invigorating  principle  holding  the  faculties  together  in 
a  just  order,  freeing  it  from  prejudice,  prompting  it  in 
the  course  of  truth,  and  causing  it  to  rise  upward  to  the 
source  of  light.  So  the  apostle :  "  If  any  man  lack 
wisdom,  let  him  ask  of  God."  Nay,  the  Scripture 
everywhere  characterizes  the  ungodly  as  fools;  and  fools 
thev  are,  whatever  be  their  genius  or  attainments  in 
other  things,  when  we  consider  their  aversion  to  God, 
their  mui'muring  against  his  requirements,  or  their 
fond  search  after  what  perishes  in  the  using,  and  brings 
death  on  their  souls.  On  the  other  hand,  the  eftect  of 
relioion  is  to  strengthen  the  reason  and  control  the 
judgment,  so  that  not  only  in  religious  matters,  but 
in  all  things,  the  luiderstanding  is  improved  and  im- 
provable. "  The  entrance  of  thy  word  giveth  life,  it 
giveth  understanding  to  the  simple."  Within  the 
sphere  of  religious  ideas,  the  effect  of  the  new  life  is 
unmistakably  regeneration.  The  love  of  God,  the 
preference  of  eternity,  the  desire  for  the  Saviour's 
glory,  help  the  mind  to  turn  from  the  motives  of  self 
and  sin,  fill  it  with  dignified  aims,  and  siuTOund  it  with 
a  healthy  medium  through  which  to  consider  things  in 
their  true  light.  Hence,  one  of  the  first  evidences  of 
the  reo:eneration  is  a  new  sense  of  the  divine  Word. 


144  THE  LIFE   EVEULASTING.  [Lkct.  XXVIII. 

It  speaks  to  us ;  we  are  conscious  of  its  bearing  upon 
us,  and  it  has  an  authority  which  we  cannot  resist,  and 
would  not  if  we  could.  We  see  the  shortness  of  this 
life,  and  look  through  it  to  eternity.  Its  precepts 
guide  us,  its  promises  strengthen  us,  its  doctrines  en- 
lighten us  ;  and,  above  all,  its  exhibitions  of  Christ 
and  his  person  and  his  love  charm  and  delight  us. 
It  is  the  beginning  of  that  knowledo;e  which  shall  be 
the  consummate  science  of  heaven.  But  where  there 
is  no  sense  of  this  new  vigor  in  Christian*  understand- 
ing,  and  the  revelations  of  God  and  heaven  have  no 
attraction  to  our  study,  we  have  no  evidence  of  a 
divine  life  in  our  souls.  So,  also,  as  the  passions  and 
appetites  warp  and  bias  the  reason  of  a  "  natural  man," 
urifintr  him  to  transgress  the  'laws  which  God  has  set 
between  him  and  his  neighbor,  —  when  the  love  of 
God  rules  his  heart,  and  the  light  of  God  his  mind,  will 
his  life  be  virtuous,  honest,  faithful,  and  kind  in  all  his 
relations  to  his  fellow-men  ;  and  he  who  does  not  find 
that  his  religion  moves  him  to  peace  and  justice  and 
kindness  and  charity  and  mercy  toward  his  fellows, 
has  no  warrant  to  expect  admittance  to  that  heaven 
"where  all  is  love  and  mutual  joy  in  the  happiness  of 
all. 

As  for  the  animal  life,  which  has  been  so  greatly 
impaired  by  sin,  it  must  continue  in  its  course  to  the 
dissolution  of  the  grave.  The  vigor  of  eternal  life  is 
not  promised  to  us  until  after  the  resurrection.  Yet, 
even  now,  some  evidences  of  its  returning  power,  or 
at  least  the  methods  of  that  invigoration,  may  be  seen. 
As  sin  corrupts  the  body,  as  evil  passions  in  the  soul 
shake  and  undermine  its  power  and  health,  —  so  that 
even    heathen    moralists    taught    that   vice   is   its   own 


Lect.  XXVIII.]  THE  LIFE  EVERLASTING.  145 

avenger,  —  a  faithful  observance  of  the  divine  laws  has 
ordinarily  a  most  beneficial  influence  upon  the  physical 
man,  not  only  in  restraining  it  from  excesses,  or  spar- 
ins;  it  from  the  exhaustino;  effects  of  immoderate  or- 
gasms  and  the  fevers  of  impatient  lust,  from  the  inju- 
ries of  provoked  violence  and  the  rash  dangers  of 
headlong  passions, —  but  also  in  husbanding  its  strength 
by  the  calm  virtues  of  continence,  temperance,  and 
good-will.  Human  life  has  its  limits,  bej-ond  which 
the  best  conduct  cannot  prolong  it ;  but  no  one  can 
doubt  that  those  limits  have  been  greatly  contracted 
by  vice  and  violence  and  hereditary  taints  of  vitiated 
blood.  Were  the  world  inhabited  only  by  virtuous 
and  peaceable  people,  the  grave  would  not  so  soon 
claim  the  bodies  of  men.  So  he  who  does  not  learn 
from  his  religion  to  keep  his  body  under,  by  a  wise 
self-discipline,  who  wastes  the  powers  he  should  use  for 
God,  or  wickedly  impairs  them  by  his  indulgence  of 
secret  thoughts  of  crime  and  excesses  of  appetite,  can- 
not hope  for  the  life  of  heaven  when  in  his  flesh,  now 
abused  and  prostituted,  he  shall  stand  before  God  in 
the  judgment.  God  will  have  mercy  on  our  infirmi- 
ties, for  he  knows  that  we  are  but  dust ;  yet  whatsoever 
a  man  soweth,  that  shall  he  also  reap.  "  For  he  that 
soweth  to  his  flesh,  shall  of  the  flesh  reap  corruption  ; 
but  he  that  soweth  to  the  Spirit,  shall  of  the  Spirit  reap 
life  everlasting." 

Let  us,  then,  daily  keep  in  view  our  eternal  life.  So 
shall  we  in  this  present  world  inherit  the  best  blessings 
of  earth,  and  at  last  be  full  of  joy  in  the  light  of 
God's  countenance  !     Amen. 

VOL.  II.  10 


1 

1 


LECTURE   XXIX. 

JUSTIFICATION  BY  FAITH. 

THE  DOCTRINE   OPENED. 


TWENTY-THIRD   LORD'S   DAY. 

JUSTIFICATION    BY    FAITH. 

THE  DOCTRINE   OPENED. 

Quest.  LIX.     But  what  doth  it  profit  thee  now  that  thou  beUevest  all  this  ? 

Ans.     That  I  am  righteous  iu  Christ  before  God,  and  am  heir  of  eternal  life. 

QuKST.  LX.     How  art  thou  righteous  before  God  f 

Ans.  Only  by  a  true  faith  in  Jesus  Christ:  so  that  though  mj'  conscience 
accuse  me  that  I  have  grossly  transgressed  all  the  commandments  of 
God,  and  kept  none  of  them,  and  am  still  inclined  to  all  evil,  notwith- 
standing God,  without  any  merit  of  mine,  but  only  of  mere  grace, 
grants  and  imputes  to  me  the  perfect  satisfaction,  righteousness,  and 
holiness  of  Christ;  even  so,  as  if  I  never  had,  nor  committed  any  sin; 
yea,  as  if  I  had  fully  accomplished  all  that  obedience  which  Christ 
hath  accomplished  for  me,  inasmuch  as  I  embraced  such  a  benefit  with 
a  believing  heart. 

Quest.  LXI.      Why  snyest  thou  that  thou  art  riffhteous  by  faith  only  ? 

Ans.  Not  that  I  am  acceptable  to  God  on  account  of  the  worthiness  of 
my  faith;  but  only  because  the  satisfaction,  righteousness,  and  holi- 
ness of  Christ  is  my  righteousness  before  God,  and  that  I  cannot  re- 
ceive and  apply  the  same  to  myself  in  anj'  other  way  than  by  faith 
only. 

T^HE  lesson  for  to-day  demands  our  best  attention. 
-*-  It  gives  the  only  answer  to  that  question  which 
all  religions  have  souoht  to  solve  :  "  How  can  man  be 
justified  with  God  ?  "  (Job  xxv.  4,)  by  setting  forth 
concisely  and  clearly  the  great  protestant,  evangelical 
doctrine  of  Justification  by  Faith. 

God,  who  devised  and  executed  the  gracious  plan  by 
which  he  is  just,  and  the  justifier  of  him  which  believ- 
eth  in  Jesus,  alone  could  declare  it.  It  is,  therefore, 
purely  a  doctrine  of  revelation  ;  and  the  business  of 
reason  is,  simply  to  inquire  what  is  taught  concerning 


150  JUSTIFICATION   BY   FAITH.         [Lect.  XXIX. 

this  way  of  mercy  in  the  holy  Scriptures,  and  espe- 
cially to  mark  the  relations  which  the  several  truths 
comprehended  by  it  bear  to  each  other. 

In  attempting  this,  the  wide  range  of  our  subject 
requires  us  to  imitate  the  conciseness  of  our  instructor, 
and  we  shall,  without  farther  preface,  follow  closely  his 
order. 

The  Answer  to  the  59th  Question  declares  The 
Fact  that  the  believer  is  righteous  before  God. 

The  Answer  to  the  60th  Question,  The  Reason 
why  he  is  righteous  before  God  to  be,  solely  because 
"  God,  without  any  merit  of  his,  but  only  of  mere 
grace,  grants  and  imputes  to  him  the  perfect  satisfaction^ 
righteousness,  and  holiness  of  Christ.'^ 

And  the  Answer  to  the  61st  Question,  The  Manner 
in  which  he  becomes  a  partaker  of  the  righteousness  of 
Christ  to  be  by  faith  only,  "  not  that  he  is  acceptable 
to  God  on  account  of  the  worthiness  of  his  faith,  but 
only  "  because  he  cannot  receive  and  apply  to  himself" 
"•  the  satisfaction,  righteousness,  and  holiness  of  Christ  " 
"  in  .any  other  way  than  by  faith." 

The  whole  discussion  may  then  be  conducted  under 
two  inquiries : 

First  :  What  is  meant  by  being  righteous  before 
aod?     And 

Secondly  :  Hoiv  the  Olwistian,  though  a  sinner,  is 
righteous  befo7'e   God? 

First  :    What  is  meant  by  bemg  righteous  before  G-od? 

In  order  properly  to  understand  the  scriptural  state- 
ment of  the  doctrine  before  us,  it  is  necessary  to  re- 
member that  God  is  represented  as  dealing  with  the 
sinner  in  the  character  of  a  judge.  Hence  the  lan- 
guage is  that  used  to  describe  legal  transactions,  and  the 


Lect.  XXIX.]  JUSTIFICATION   BY   FAITH.  151 

terms  are  to  be  taken  in  a  forensic  or  juridical  sense 
(^.  e.  as  they  are  taken  in  courts  of  law).  Not  that 
God  patterns  his  justice  after  that  of  men  ;  for  in  the 
exercise  of  that  attribute,  as  in  everything  else,  his 
ways  are  infinitely  "  above  our  ways,  and  his  thoughts 
above  our  thouglits  " ;  but  he  graciously  condescends 
to  explain  his  truth  by  such  words  as  are  best  adapted 
to  our  capacities  and  habits  of  thought.  Hence  man  is 
said  to  be  under  "  a  law  " ;  to  be  brought  "  into  judg- 
ment "  or  trial,  to  be  "  condemned  "  or  "justified,"  to 
be  "  guilty  "  or  "  righteous." 

Justification^  in  this  forensic  sense,  is  the  opposite  of 
condemnation.  Thus  the  apostle :  "  Who  shall  lay  any- 
thing to  the  charge  of  God's  elect  ?  It  is  God  that 
justifieth.  Who  is  he  that  condemneth  ?  It  is  Christ 
that  died"  (Rom.  viii.  33,  34).  Justification  does  not 
make  the  person  who  has  been  under  trial  just  or 
righteous.  It  is  only  the  act  pronouncing  him  just  or 
righteous  in  the  eye  of  the  law,  i.  e.  free  from  all 
charges  against  him.*  "  Who  shall  lay  anything  to 
the  charge  of  God's  elect  ?  It  is  God  that  justifieth." 
Yet  was  every  one  of  that  elect  personally  and  really  a 
sinner.  So  condemnation  does  not  make  the  person 
who  has  been  under  trial,  a  sinner,  unjust,  or  unright- 
eous. It  only  pronounces  him  liable  to  the  penalties  of 
sin,  injustice,  or  unrighteousness.  "  Who  is  he  that 
condemneth  ?  It  is  Christ  that  died."  Which  means, 
that  "  there  is  now  no  condemnation  to  them  which  are 
in  Christ  Jesus  "  (Rom.  xii.  1),  because,  though  they 
are  actually  sinners,  Christ,  by  the  interposition  of  his 
death,  has  satisfied  the  law  on  their  behalf,  and  they 
are  consequently  free  from  the  punishment  to  which 

*  See  Booth's  Reign  of  Grace. 


152  JUSTIFICATION   BY  FAITH.  [Lect.  XXIX. 

they  would  otherwise  have  been  condemned.  So  noth- 
ing is  more  frequent  in  Scripture  than  distinctions  be- 
tween justification  by  the  law  or  by  works,  and  justifi- 
cation by  faith,  —  the  righteousness  which  is  of  the 
law,  and  the  righteousness  of  faith.  Thus  the  apostle : 
"  By  the  deeds  of  the  law,  there  shall  no  flesh  be  justi- 
fied in  his  sight "'  (Rom.  iii.  20) ;  and  again  :  "  There- 
fore we  conclude  that  a  man  is  justified  by  faith  with- 
out the  deeds  of  the  law."  When  using  the  term 
ri(/Jiteoiis,  he  says :  "  It  is  written.  There  is  none  right- 
eous, no,  not  one  "  (Rom.  iii.  10)  ;  and  in  Hebrews  he 
speaks  of  Noah  becoming  "  heir  of  the  righteousness 
which  is  by  faith  "  (xi.  7).  In  Philippians  he  declares 
his  desire  to  be  found  in"  Christ,  "  not  having  his  own 
righteousness,  which  is  of  the  law,  but  that  Avhich  is 
through  the  faith  of  Christ,  the  righteousness  which  is 
of  God  by  faith "  (iii.  9).  To  be  righteous  in  the 
sisht  of  God,  as  the  term  is  used  here  bv  our  instruc- 
tor,  does  not  mean  to  be  actually  righteous  in  one's  self, 
because  he  says  "righteous  in  Christ,"  but  to  be  de- 
clared, accounted,  and  treated  as  righteous  in  the  eye  of 
the  law  by  God. 

Now  tlie  law  of  God  is  twofold.  It  forbids  wrong 
deeds  under  severe  penalties,  and  requires  good  deeds 
with  promises  of  reward.  Righteousness,  therefore, 
in  the  eye  of  God's  law,  is  to  be  considered  as  twofold: 
negative,  freedom  from  wrong-doing  ;  and  positive,  the 
doing  of  right. 

It  is  true  that,  in  one  sense,  not  to  do  right  is  to  do 
wrong,  and  to  do  wrong  is  not  to  do  right.  Yet  we 
mark  the  distinction  between  negative  and  positive 
righteousness,  because,  in  order  to  the  enjoyment  of 
God's  favor,  which  is  bestowed  only  in  reward  of  right- 


Lect.  XXIX.]  JUSTIFICATION  5Y  FAITH.  153 

eousness,  it  is  necessary  that,  besides  the  pardon  of  our 
sins,  which  but  frees  us  from  the  penalties  of  the  law, 
we  should  have  a  positive  merit  before  God  to  entitle 
us  to  the  rewards  of  the  law.  Thus  our  instructor 
bids  the  believer  say,  not  merely  that  he  is  "  righteous 
before  God,"  but  also  that  he  is  "  an  heir  of  eternal 
life." 

To  be  perfectly  righteous  in  the  sight  of  God  is,  to 
he  free  from  all  the  j^enalties,  and  entitled  to  all  the 
rewards  of  his  holy  law.  We  are  now  prepared  for 
our  SECOND  inquiry:  How  the  Christian,  though  a  sin- 
ner, is  righteous  before  God  ? 

And  under  this  head  we  shall  consider 

1.  The  reason  ;  and 

2.  The  manner  of  his  being  righteous  before  God. 
1.   The  reason. 

A.  It  is  not  because  of  any  righteousness  personally 
his  own  ;  for  he  acknowledges  that  his  righteousness  or 
justification  is  "  notwithstanding  his  conscience  doth 
accuse  him  of  having  grossly  transgressed  all  the  com- 
mandments of  God  and  kept  none  of  them,  and  his 
being  still  inclined  to  all  evil,  so  that  he  has  no  merit 
of  his  own." 

We  shall  not  stay  here  to  show  the  entire  absence  of 
all  righteousness  from  the  soul  of  every  living  child  of 
Adam,  and  our  entire  corruption  in  sin.  This  has  in 
former  discourses  been  argued  fully  before  you.  It  is 
sufficient  now  to  repeat  that  God  has  declared,  "  There 
is  none  righteous,  no,  not  one  ;  "  and  that  "  by  the 
deeds  of  the  law  there  shall  no  flesh  be  justified  in  his 
sight."  Christ  Jesus  came  "  to  seek  and  to  save  the 
lost,"  "  to  call  not  the  righteous  but  sinners  to  repent- 
ance."     The  magnitude  of  that  provision   of   mercy 


154  JUSTIFICATION  BY  FAITH.  [Lect.  XXIX. 

which  has  been  made  in  the  mediation  of  Jesus  Christ, 
the  Son  of  God,  incarnate  and  suffering  for  us,  is  clear 
proof  that  there  can  be  no  salvation  for  us  by  our  own 
merit ;  for  "  if  righteousness  come  by  tlie  law,  then  is 
Christ  dead  in  vain  "  (Gal.  ii.  21).  Our  great  apos- 
tle Paul  knew  nothing  of  salvation  out  of  Clnist.  He 
had  some  dreams  of  the  kind  while  yet  an  TUibelieving 
pharisee,  but  when  he  came  to  see  the  full  force  and 
wide  extent  of  the  law  of  God,  all  hope  of  saving  him- 
self died  within  him  (Rom.  vii.  9)  ;  and  after  he  had 
been  long  a  preacher  of  that  faithful  saying,  "  Christ 
Jesus  came  into  the  world  to  save  sinners,"  he  still 
acknowledges  himself  "  the  chief  of  sinners  "  (1  Tim. 
i.  15).  Those,  therefore,  who  desira  and  think  to  be 
saved  by  their  own  righteousness,  must  go  elsewhere 
than  to  the  gospel  for  a  warrant  of  their  hope.  They 
have  neither  part  nor  lot  in  Christ's  salvation.  The 
Bible  has  nothing  to  do  with  them  but  to  condemn 
them ;  "  for  he  that  believeth  not  is  condemned  already, 
because  he  hath  not  believed  in  the  name  of  the  onh' 
begotten  Son  of  God  "  (John  iii.  18). 
B.  It  is  because  of  the  merit  of  Jesus  Christ. 
Thus  the  instructor  says,  "  God,  without  any  merit 
of  mine,  but  only  of  mere  grace,  grants  and  imputes 
to  me  the  perfect  satisfaction,  righteousness,  ;uid  holiness 
of  Christ ;  even  so  as  if  I  had  never  committed  any 
sin  ;  yea,  as  if  I  had  accomplished  all  that  obedience 
which  Christ  hath  accomplished  for  me."  And  that 
this  language  is  in  agreement  with  Scripture,  is  clear 
from  what  the  apostle  says  (Rom.  iii.  21-28)  :  "  Now 
the  righteousness  of  God  without  the  law  is  manifested, 
being  witnessed  by  the  law  and  pro))hets  :  Even  the 
righteousness  of  God  which  is  by  faith  of  Jesus  Christ 


Lect.  XXIX.]  JUSTIFICATION   BY   FAITH.  155 

unto  all,  and  upon  all  them  that  believe  :  for  there  is 
no  difference  :  For  all  have  sinned,  and  come  short  of 
the  glory  of  God  :  Being  justified  freely  by  his  grace, 
through  the  redemption  that  is  in  Christ  Jesus  ;  whom 
God  hath  set  forth  to  be  a  propitiation  through  faith  in 
his  blood,  to  declare  his  righteousness  for  the  remission 
of  sins  that  are  past,  through  the  forbearance  of  God : 
To  declare,  I  say,  at  this  time,  his  righteousness  ;  that 
he  might  be  just  and  the  justifier  of  him  which  be- 
lieveth  in  Jesus.  Where  is  boasting  then  ?  It  is 
excluded.  By  what  law  ?  of  works  ?  Nay,  but  by 
the  law  of  faith.  Therefore,  we  conclude  that  a  man 
is  justified  by  faith  without  the  deeds  of  the  law." 

We  have  seen,  that,  to  be  righteous  in  the  sight  of 
God,  is  to  be  free  from  all  the  penalties  and  entitled  to 
all  the  rewards  of  his  holy  law.  But  such  a  righteous- 
ness the  Christian  can  never  obtain  for  himself,  because, 
as  a  sinner  who  has  come  short  of  the  glory  of  God, 
he  has  not  only  forfeited  all  claims  to  the  rewards,  but 
has  become  obnoxious  to  all  the  penalties  of  the  law  ; 
which,  as  they  include  eternal  death,  it  is  impossible  for 
him  ever  perfectly  to  exhaust.  Except,  therefore,  some 
other  method  of  justifying  him  than  his  own  righteous- 
ness be  provided,  his  salvation  is  impossible.  Here, 
(blessed  be  the  name  of  Jehovah,  Father,  Son,  and 
Holy  Ghost  !)  the  wisdom  and  power  of  the  mercy  of 
God  comes  to  our  help. 

Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  incarnate  in  our  nature, 
condescends,  according  to  covenant  with  the  Father,  to 
become  the  Saviour  of  the  sinner.  In  accomplishing 
this  blessed  M^ork,  he  offered  himself  to  bear  the  penal- 
ties of  the  law  which  the  sinner  had  incurred.  The 
sacrifice  was  accepted  by  God  when  he  took  the  life  of 


156  JUSTIFICATION   BY   FAITH.  [Lect.  XXIX. 

Jesus  upon  the  cross.  Besides  this,  during  the  Avhole 
of  his  hte  upon  earth,  he  honored  the  law  of  God  by 
a  perfect  obedience,  and  thus  became  entitled  himself 
to  all  the  rewards  of  righteousness.  Christ  Jesus, 
therefore,  as  the  Saviour,  and  in  the  place  or  room  of 
the  sinner,  made  himself  perfectly  righteous  in  the 
sight  of  the  law  :  negatively  righteous,  inasmuch  as  he 
had  discharged  fully  all  the  penalties  of  the  law  ;  and 
positively  righteous,  as  b}^  a  perfect  obedience  he  earned 
all  the  rewards  of  the  law.  Now  the  doctrine  of  the 
Scripture  and  the  argument  of  the  Catechism  is,  that 
God  accepts  and  acknowledges  this  whole  righteousness 
of  Christ  in  place  of,  or  as  a  substitute  for,  that  right- 
eousness which  the  believer  ought  to  have  rendered  in 
his  own  person,  but  could  not ;  so  that  in  Christ,  or 
through  Christ,  the  believer,  though  himself  a  sinner, 
becomes  perfectly  righteous  in  the  sight  of  the  law, 
being  set  free  from  all  its  penalties  and  entitled  to  all 
its  rewards.  Thus  the  Catechism :  "  God  grants  and 
imputes  to  me  the  perfect  satisfaction  (that  is  the  ex- 
piation), righteousness  (that  is  the  obedience),  and  holi- 
ness (that  is  the  acceptableness)  of  Christ,  even  so  as 
if  I  had  never  had  nor  committed  any  sins  (because 
all  his  sins  have  been  expiated),  yea,  as  if  I  had  fully 
accomplished  all  that  obedience  which  Christ  hath  ac- 
complished for  me." 

He  says,  God  "  grants  "  this  righteousness,  because 
it  was  of  mere  grace  that  God  provided  this  righteous- 
ness ;  it  was  his  purpose  to  save  which  led  him  to  the 
provision  of  that  righteousness ;  and  having  provided 
it,  he  may  bestow  its  benefits  upon  whom  he  will, 
although  he  promises  and  offers  those  benefits  to  all 
who  will  believe.     They  who  believe  become  entitled 


Lect.  XXIX.]  JUSTIFICATION   BY  FAITH.  167 

to  the  righteousness  through  grace  of  the  promise,  for 
God  will  keep  his  word  ;  and  becoming  entitled  to  the 
righteousness,  they  receive  then,  as  a  matter  of  justice 
to  Christ  and  mercy  to  them,  all  the  consequences  of 
that  righteousness,  even  deliverance  from  the  punish- 
ment which  was  due  to  them  because  of  the  sins  which 
Christ  expiated,  and  the  rewards  due  to  those  good 
works  which  they  could  not  do,  but  which  Christ  did 
for  them. 

He  says,  also,  "  God  imputes  this  righteousness."  By 
which  is  meant  that  God  reckons  or  accounts  to  the 
believer  the  righteousness  of  Christ  as  his  own.  For 
this  is  the  proper  and  the  scriptural  sense  of  impute. 
"  Blessed  is  the  man  to  whom  the  Lord  imputeth  not 
iniquity,"  or  does  not  charge  with  iniquity  (Ps.  xxxii. 
2),  which  the  apostle  declares  (Rom.  iv.  6)  to  be  the 
imputation  of  "  righteousness  without  works,"  or  the 
imputation  of  a  righteousness  which  he  had  not  wrought 
out  for  himself;  for  in  a  verse  a  little  before  he  had 
said  (4,  5)  :  "  Now  to  him  that  worketh  is  the  reward 
not  reckoned  of  grace  but  of  debt ;  but  to  him  that 
worketh  not,  but  believeth  on  him  that  justifieth  the 
ungodly,  his  faith  is  counted  (the  same  Greek  word, 
XoyiCojxaL)  for  righteousness." 

Understand,  if  you  please,  precisely  what  we  mean 
here.  God,  by  imputing  the  righteousness  of  Christ  to 
the  believer,  does  not  make  the  righteousness  of  Christ 
the  personal  righteousness  of  the  believer.  That  is  im- 
possible. The  personal  acts  or  qualities  of  one  cannot 
by  any  process  be  made  the  personal  acts  or  qualities  of 
another.  The  very  idea  is  absurd.  But  in  imputing 
the  righteousness  of  Christ  to  him,  God  gives  to  the  be- 
liever the  legal  consequences  of  Christ's  righteousness  ;• 


158  JUSTIFICATION  BY  FAITH.  [Lect.  XXIX. 

he  has  the  benefit  of  it  as  much  as  if  it  were  his  own. 
He  is  freed  from  the  penalties  of  the  law  because  Christ 
has  borne  them  in  his  stead.  He  receives  the  rewards 
of  Christ's  obedience  as  if  he  had  obeyed  himself. 

This,  then,  is  the  reason  why  the  believer,  though 
himself  a  sinner,  is  righteous  in  the  sight  of  God.  It 
is  because  God  grants  and  imputes  to  him  the  right- 
eousness of  Christ. 

It  is  possible  that  some  may  object  to  this  merciful 
arrangement  of  God  in  accepting  a  vicarious  or  substi- 
tuted satisfaction,  because,  in  the  Ji7'st  place,  the  law  re- 
quiring righteousness  from  all,  the  righteousness  of  one 
cannot  be  the  righteousness  of  many  ;  and  in  the  second 
place,  the  law  requiring  personal  obedience,  no  vicari- 
ous or  substituted  obedience  can  in  any  way  be  ac- 
cepted. Now  we  might  answer  such  objections  by  the 
express  declaration  of  the  apostle,  that "  by  the  obedience 
of  one  shall  many  be  made  righteous  "  (Rom.  v.  19). 
Where  God  justifieth,  who  shall  condemn  ?  But  we 
ask  the  objector  to  consider  both  the  dignity  of  the  sub- 
stitute, Christ  Jesus,  and  the  end  of  the  sanctions  added 
to  the  law. 

The  substitute  is  the  man  Jesus,  in  whom  God  the 
Son  was  incarnate.  The  merit,  therefore,  of  his  right- 
eousness, both  in  expiation  and  obedience,  is  infinite, 
and  can,  therefore,  cover  the  defects  and  sins  of  as  many 
sinners  such  as  we  are  as  he  chooses  to  give  the  bene- 
fits of  his  righteousness  unto. 

The  end  of  sanctions  to  a  laio  (that  is,  penalties  and 
rewards)  is  to  maintain  its  authority  over  the  subject. 
And  we  ask,  by  what  method  could  God  declare  his  de- 
termination to  vindicate  the  honor  of  his  law  in  its  for- 
bidding of  sin  better  than  by  refusing  to  pardon  any 


LiiCT.   XXIX.]  JUSTIFICATION  BY  FAITH.  159 

sinner  before  he  had  exacted  from  his  son  Jesus  Christ 
the  full  penalty  due  the  sinner  for  sin  ?  Or  in  what 
manner  could  he  testify  his  appreciation  of  righteous- 
ness so  fully  as  by  causing  his  own  son  to  become  incar- 
nate that  he  might  honor  the  law  upon  earth,  and  then 
bestowing  the  unspeakably  rich  reward  of  eternal  life 
upon  his  people  for  that  righteousness'  sake  ? 

We  grant  that  in  human  law  such  substitution  could 
not  be  admitted,  though  something  of  the  kind  (yet 
not  in  strict  justice)  has  occurred.  But  there  can  be 
no  parallel  between  the  human  law  and  the  divine. 
The  human  law  ought  to  be  but  a  transcript  of  the  di- 
vine, and  therefore  the  human  judge  has  no  alternative 
but  to  execute  it  strictly.  God  is  the  author  of  his 
own  law,  and  the  sovereign  offended.  He,  therefore, 
has  the  right  to  justify  and  pardon  a  transgressor  in 
such  a  way  as  he  is  satisfied  that  his  authority  receives 
no  detriment. 

Besides,  the  thing  is  impossible  among  men ;  for 
where  could  such  a  substitute  as  Jesus  be  found  ? 
Where  all  are  subjects,  the  law  requires  the  obedience 
of  all  ;  and,  therefore,  no  one  could  so  abstract  himself 
from  his  own  duty  as  to  prepare  a  supererogatory  right- 
eousness, which  might  be  imputed  to  the  benefit  of  an- 
other. The  Son  of  God  obeyed  for  us  a  law  to  which 
he  was  not  himself  subject,  and  therefore  he  has  a  right 
to  bestow  the  rewards  of  his  righteousness  upon  whom 
he  will. 

The  manner  in  which  the  sinner  becomes  righteous 
in  Christ. 

It  is  by  faith  ;  *  as  the  instructor  says,  "  I  cannot 
receive  or  apply  the  same  to  myself  in  any  other  way." 

*  For  Faith,  see  Seventh  Lord's  Day. 


160  JUSTIFICATION   BY  FAITH.         [Lect.  XXIX. 

I  need  not  stay  to  cite  proofs  from  Scripture  of  tlie 
necessity  of  faith  in  order  to  our  justification  and  sal- 
vation. The  whole  tenor  of  the  book  shows  that  he 
only  who  believeth  can  be  saved  ;  and  this  very  right- 
eousness is  called  "  the  righteousness  which  is  of  faith  " 
(Rom.  X.  6),  or  "  by  foith  "  (Heb.  xi.  7). 

But  it  Avill  readily  be  seen  that  even  the  scheme  of 
salvation  by  the  imputed  righteousness  of  Christ  can- 
not be  reconciled  to  the  holiness  of  God,  unless  the 
cheerful  and  unqualified  submission  of  the  sinner,  who 
is  pardoned,  to  the  justice  and  excellence  of  the  law  be 
secured,  and  also  his  reformation  from  sin  unto  holiness. 
This  is  done  by  requiring  faith  from  him. 

1.  His  suhmission ;  for  by  accepting  Christ's  work 
in  his  behalf  he  not  only  submits  to  be  saved  in  the 
way  which  God  appoints,  but  he  acknowledges  that  he 
ought  to  have  rendered  the  righteous  obedience  which 
Christ  has  rendered  for  him,  and  deserved  to  have  suf- 
fered the  jienalties  which  Christ  suffered  for  him.  Nay, 
he  rejoices  that  he  has  an  opportunity  of  fully  honoring 
the  law  of  God,  which  he  loves,  by  presenting  through 
his  faith  the  perfect  expiation  and  obedience  of  Christ. 
It  is  his  highest  satisfaction  to  believe  not  only  that 
he  is  pardoned  and  accepted  of  God,  but  that  it  is  in 
such  a  \Aay  as  reflects  the  greatest  glory  upon  God  and 
his  law,  while  it  humbles  himself  as  utterly  destitute  of 
merit,  and  saved  by  grace  alone. 

2.  His  reformation  is  secured  because  the  proper  ef- 
fect, by  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  is  to  purify  the 
heart,  to  work  by  love,  and  to  overcome  the  world.  So 
that  it  is  certain  that  when  God  justifies  he  sanctifies, 
because  he  justifies  only  those  who  believe.  Indeed, 
faith  is  itself  a  part,  as  well  as  the  instrument  of  sane- 


Lect.  XXIX.]  JUSTIFICATION   BY  FAITH.  161 

tification,  for  no  one  can  truly  believe  in  Christ  without 
being,  in  the  very  act  of  faith,  turned  from  sin  unto 
God.  It  is,  therefore,  most  false  to  assert,  as  some 
errorists  do,  that  the  doctrine  of  justification  by  faith 
encourages  or  tolerates  licentiousness  of  life.  Scripture, 
experience,  even  reason  show  that  the  very  reverse  is 
the  case,  and  that  the  requisition  of  faith,  in  order  to 
salvation,  is  the  very  best  means  of  securing  the  hearty 
repentance  and  obedience  of  the  sinner.  But  upon 
this  we  shall  have  occasion  to  discourse  more  at  large 
in  our  exposition  of  the  next  Lords  Day. 

We  must,  however,  be  careful  to  remember  that 
there  is  no  merit  of  any  kind  in  faith  itself.  The  only 
merit  which  justifies  the  believer  is  that  of  Christ,  as 
the  Catechism  says  :  "  Not  that  I  am  acceptable  to  God 
on  account  of  the  worthiness  of  my  faith,  but  only  be- 
cause the  satisfaction,  righteousness,  and  holiness  of 
Christ  is  my  righteousness  before  God."  No  merit  of 
ours  can  be  mingled  with  his.  Nor  can  there  be  any 
merit  proper  in  merely  believing.  Faith  is  necessary 
to  our  justification,  because,  in  order  to  the  righteous- 
ness of  Christ  being  applied  to  us,  it  must  be  accepted ; 
and  as  the  Catechism  says  :  "  I  cannot  receive  and  ap- 
ply the  same  to  myself  in  any  other  way  than  by  faith 
only."  It  may  be  necessary  to  the  pardon  of  a  rebel 
that  he  kneel  and  stretch  forth  his  hand  to  receive  the 
certificate  of  it  from  his  sovereign  ;  but  there  is  no  merit 
in  either  the  posture  or  the  act.  So  there  is  no  merit 
in  our  humbly  and  gratefully  accepting  the  pardon  of 
God  in  Christ.  The  apostle  does,  indeed,  speak  of 
"faith"  being  "counted"  or  "imputed  for  righteous- 
ness"; but  then  he  means  not  the  faith  itself,  but  the 
object  of  it,  the  righteousness  which  is  of  God.     For  if 

VOL.    II.  11 


162  JUSTIFICATION   BY   FAITH.  [Lkct.  XXIX. 

he  means  otherwise,  he  overthrows  the  main  doctrine 
which  lie  would  establish,  that  we  are  saved  by  no  merit 
of  our  own,  but  only  by  the  merit  of  Jesus  Christ. 

Thus,  my  brethren,  you  have  before  you  the  glorious 
and  most  comforting  doctrine  of  Justification  by 
Faith. 

It  teaches  us  that 

1.  Salvation  is  provided  for  the  lost  and  ruined  sinner. 
However  sinful  we  may  have  been, 'still  are,  and  feel 

that  we  shall  yet  be,  because  of  the  corruption  within 
us,  we  ought  not  to  despair  of  mercy,  seeing  that  God 
offers  pardon  and  favor  to  us  through  Christ  his  Son. 
We  are  in  most  awful  peril  if  we  be  not  saved  through 
Christ,  because  God  oifering  to  us  mercy  declares  us  to 
be  lost  and  imdone  in  ourselves  ;  yes,  so  utterly  lost  and 
undone  that  we  can  be  saved  only  by  the  infinite  merit 
of  the  Son  of  God. 

But  this  salvation  is  certainly  ours,  if  with  true  and 
])enitent  hearts  we  simply  accept  the  offer  made  to  us 
in  the  gospel,  and  rely  only  upon  the  merits  of  Jesus 
Christ,  our  very  faith  being  the  evidence  of  our  pardon 
and  favor  with  God. 

2.  The  salvation  is  all  of  grace. 

Grace  contrived  the  plan  ;  for  God  was  not  con- 
strained, except  by  his  infinite  mercy,  to  save  sinners 
who  have  so  richly  deserved  his  wrath. 

Grace  provides  the  righteousness  necessary  for  the 
salvation  of  the  sinner,  and  which  none  but  God  incar- 
nate coidd  have  wrought  out  in  our  stead. 

Grace  bestows  the  salvation  upon  the  sinner,  because 
the  faith  by  which  he  receives  the  benefits  of  Christ's 
righteousness  is  wrought  in  him  by  the  power  of  the 
Holy  Ghost. 


Lect.  XXIX.]  JUSTIFICATION   BY  FAITH.  163 

3.  The  salvation  demands  our  entire  submission  to 
God  in  Christ. 

We  must  abjure  all  trust  in  our  own  merit,  and  ac- 
cept it  only  as  a  free  gift  of  God's  mercy. 

We  must  penitently  acknowledge  our  sins  which 
needed  such  an  expiation,  and  rejoice  in  the  honor  done 
to  the  divine  law  by  the  obedience  of  Christ  in  our 
stead. 

We  must  receive  with  the  pardon  the  grace  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  that  we  may  live  to  the  glory  and  for  the 
cause  of  him  who  saves  none  from  hell  whom  he  does 
not  save  from  sin. 

Christians,  give  all  glory  to  God,  who  saves  from 
such  condemnation  ;  who  promises  so  blessed  an  eter- 
nal life  ;  and  who  saves  us  from  hell,  and  makes  us 
heirs  of  heaven  at  such  infinite  cost,  and  by  such  infi- 
nite power. 

Oh,  the  misery  of  those  who  are  out  of  Christ ! 
They  are  condemned  already.  They  add  to  their  sin 
the  guilt  of  despising  the  mercy  of  God,  the  righteous- 
ness of  Christ,  and  the  grace  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  They 
have  no  true  hope  of  entering  heaven,  but,  except  they 
repent,  must  go  away  into  everlasting  punishment. 


LECTURE    XXX. 

JUSTIFICATION  BY  FAITH  DEFENDED 

OK, 

THE  DOCTRINE  OF  GOOD  WORKS. 


I 


TWENTY-FOURTH   LORD'S   DAY. 

JUSTIFICATION  BY  FAITH  DEFENDED;  OR, 
THE  DOCTRINE  OF  GOOD  WORKS. 

Quest.  LXII.  But  iclnj  cannot  our  good  icorks  be  the  ichole  or  part  of  otir 
righteousness  before  God? 

Ass.  Because  that  the  righteousness  which  can  be  approved  of  before 
the  tribunal  of  God  must  be  absolutely  perfect,  and  in  all  respects  con- 
formable to  the  divine  law;  and,  also,  that  our  best  works  in  this  life 
are  all  imperfect  and  defiled  with  sin. 

Quest.  LXIII.  What  do  not  our  works  merit,  which  yet  God  will  reward 
in  this  and  a  future  life  ? 

Ans.     The  reward  is  not  of  merit  but  of  grace. 

Quest.  LXIV.     But  doth  not  this  doctrine  make  men  careless  and  profane  f 

Ans.  By  no  means  ;  for  it  is  impossible  that  those  who  are  implanted 
into  Christ  by  a  true  faith  should  not  bring  forth  fruits  of  thankful- 
ness. 

THE  doctrine  of  Justification  by  Faith  alone,  as 
taught  in  the  last  lesson  of  our  Catechism  and  in 
the  Confessions  of  all  the  Reformed  churches,  has  been 
vehemently  objected  to.  It  offends  the  pride  of  men 
by  declaring  that  they  are,  not  only  destitute,  but  inca 
pable  of  merit  in  the  sight  of  God,  and  that,  therefore, 
they  cannot  be  saved  except  through  his  free  and  sov- 
ereio-n  mercy.  Besides,  God,  in  his  word  and  provi- 
dence, has  established  a  vital  connection  between  holi- 
ness and  happiness,  so  that  his  favor  is  ever  the  reward 
of  righteousness.  This  is  the  eternal  rule  of  his  gov- 
ernment, emanating  from  his  perfect  justice  and  the 
entire  harmony  of  his  perfect  attributes.  The  great 
purpose  of  Christianity  is  to  restore  the  sinner  to  right- 
eousness, and  fit  him  by  a  radical  reformation  for  eter- 
nal blessedness  in  the  presence  of  God  ;  and  the  whole 


168         JUSTIFICATION  BY   FAITH   DEFENDED;    [Lect.  XXX. 

doctrine  of  the  gospel  is  given  to  show  that  God  is  not 
merely  merciful,  but  just,  in  the  salvation  of  him  which 
believeth  in  Jesus. 

We  are  not,  therefore,  willing  to  suppose  that  it  is 
only  a  cavilling,  or  even  a  self-righteous  spirit,  which 
requires  demonstration  of  the  consistency  between  these 
undoubted  truths  and  salvation  by  faith  alone.  There 
may  be  an  honest,  though  not  an  excusable,  misunder- 
standing of  the  doctrine  which  it  is  our  duty  to  sympa- 
thize with,  and,  so  far  as  we  can,  correct.  What  is 
more  natural  than  to  ask, — 

How  is  it  that  the  gospel  requires  good  works  from 
us,  and  yet  they  make  no  part  of  our  justification  with 
God? 

How  is  it,  that  the  rewards  of  God's  favor  in  this 
life,  but  especially  in  the  life  to  come,  are  promised  to 
those  who  do  good  works,  and  yet  those  works  are 
without  merit  in   God's  sight  ? 

Or,  how  can  the  promise  of  salvation  to  simple  faith 
in  Jesus  Christ  fail  to  encourage  men  in  a  careless  and 
presumptuous  way  of  life  ? 

These  questions  ought  to  be  answered.  It  ought  to 
be  shown  that  so  important  an  article  of  our  creed  is 
consistent  with  itself  and  every  part  of  the  word  of 
God.  To  do  tliis,  is  the  object  of  the  lesson  for  to-day, 
and  of  our  present  discourse.     Thus, 

The  answer  to  our  62d  Question  declares,  that 

Our  good  works  cannot  be  a  part  of  our  righteous- 
ness before  God. 

The  answer  to  our  63d  Question,  that 

The  rewards  promised  to  good  works  are  not  because 
of  merit  in  themselves,  but  of  the  grace  of  God.  And 
the  answer  to  the  64th  Question,  tliat 


Lect.  XXX.]    OR,   THE  DOCTRINE  OF   GOOD   WORKS.         169 

It  is  an  essential  property  of  saving  faith  to  bring 
forth  fruits  of  thankfuhiess  in  good  works. 

The  first  shows  why  good  works  are  not  insisted 
u^Don  as  a  method  of  salvation. 

The  second^  how  our  good  works  receive  reward, 
though  they  have  no  merit  in  themselves. 

And  the  thirds  what  the  genuine  effect  of  faith  in 
Christ  is  upon  the  heart  and  life  of  the  believer. 

We  shall,  by  God's  help,  attempt  to  discuss  the  three 
several  propositions  as  they  are  laid  before  us  in  the 
lesson. 

FiEST  :  Good  works  cannot  be  a  part  of  our  righteous- 
ness before  Grod. 

This  may  be  proved  at  once  by  the  assertion  of  God. 
that  "  by  the  deeds  of  the  law  (and  there  are  no  good 
works  which  the  law  does  not  require)  there  shall  no 
flesh  be  justified  in  his  sight."  What  God  declares 
impossible  cannot  be. 

It  may  be  proved  by  the  fact  that  God  has  provided 
in  Christ  an  infinite  righteousness  for  our  justification, 
which  would  be  manifestly  unnecessary  and  superfluous 
if  our  own  obedience  could  have  availed  in  any  way 
to  save  us.  As  the  apostle  says,  "  If  righteousness 
come  by  the  law,  then  Christ  is  dead  in  vain  "  (Gal. 
ii.  21). 

And  it  may  be  proved  by  the  extent  of  the  salvation, 
which  secures  to  the  believer,  though  a  sinner,  a  higher 
blessedness  than  was  granted  to  man  in  innocence,  and 
therefore,  being  out  of  all  proportion  to  any  supposa- 
ble  merit  of  ours,  can  only  be  accounted  for  by  the  in- 
finite merit  of  Christ,  the  purchaser,  and  the  principle 
of  the  gospel,  that  "  where  sin  abounded,  grace  should 
much  more  abound  "  (Rom.  v.  20).     But  let  us  add 


170         JUSTIFICATION  BY  FAITH  DEFENDED;    [Lect.  XXX. 

to  these  the  conclusive  argument  of  our  instructor  in 
the  answer  to  the  G2d  Question,  which  is  that 

We  have  not,  and  cannot  have,  any  good  works, 
properly  so  called,  to  present  before  God, 

"  The  righteousness  which  can  be  approved  of  before 
the  tribunal  of  God  must  be  absolutely  perfect,  and  in 
all  respects  conformable  to  the  divine  law  ;  and  .  .  . 
our  best  works  in  this  life  are  iill  imperfect,  and  defiled 
with  sin." 

When  we  compare  men  with  each  other,  it  is  not  to 
be  denied  that  we  may  find  some  bright  contrasts  to 
prevailing  selfishness  and  wrong,  yet  it  is  from  the 
prevalence  of  selfishness  and  wrong  that  most  of  what 
is  accounted  good  in  men  has  its  seeming  goodness. 
Among  a  nation  habitually  drunkards,  one  who  drank 
to  intoxication  only  several  times  a  year,  as  the  virtu- 
ous men  of  Athens  at  the  feasts  of  Bacchus,  would  be 
considered  a  miracle  of  temperance,  but  among  a  na- 
tion habitually  temperate,  a  single  fit  of  drunkenness 
would  stamp  disgrace  on  the  same  person.  In  Chris- 
tian countries  it  is  most  infamous  for  a  man  to  treat 
with  contempt  and  cruelty  the  wife  of  his  bosom  ;  in 
Hindoostan  the  reverse  would  be  extraordinary.  Cy- 
rus, in  refraining  from  the  dishonor  of  his  beautiful 
captive,  won  immortal  praise,  not  because  such  an 
abuse  of  power  would  not  have  been  in  the  last  degree 
unmanly,  but  that  such  abuse  was  then  universal. 
These  are  strong  instances,  but  serve  to  show  what 
false  judgments  may  be  formed  from  delusive  circum- 
stances. A  man  is  liberal  in  his  kindness  to  the  poor, 
and  he  gets  great  credit  for  charitableness.  But  is 
not  liberal  kindness  to  the  poor  a  duty  binding  upon 
all  ?     Whence  then  such  praise  ?     Few  are  so  unchar- 


Lkct.  XXX.]     OR,  THE  DOCTRINE  OF  GOOD   WORKS.        171 

itable.  Another  pays  debts,  from  which  the  letter  of 
human  law,  hut  not  equity,  sets  him  free,  and  he  is 
lauded  for  integrity.  Is  it  not  the  duty  of  all  men  to 
pay  what  they  really  owe  ?  Yes,  but  few  are  so  hon- 
est. Another  is  distinguished  for  candor.  Is  not  truth 
a  universal  duty  ?  Alas  !  few  are  sincere.  But  who 
is  there  perfectly  candid,  perfectly  honest,  perfectly 
benevolent,  perfectly  pure  ?  Where  is  there  a  charac- 
ter perfectly  free  from  blemish  ?  In  a  world  of  right- 
eousness like  heaven,  the  best  patterns  of  what  we  here 
call  human  goodness  would  be  strange  deformities,  and 
especially  so  were  their  inner  motives  and  desires  as 
apparent  as  their  outward  conduct. 

But  God  tries  us  by  no  rule  so  partial  and  shifting  as 
human  opinion.  He  brings  us  to  the  test  of  his  holy 
law.  That  law  requires  all  righteousness.  It  is  not 
satisfied  with  an  outward  compliance,  beyond  which 
human  authority  cannot  penetrate,  but  searches  like 
his  omniscient  eye  into  the  thoughts  and  intents  of  the 
heart.  The  obedience  he  insists  upon  is  a  perfect  obe- 
dience, an  entire  conformity  to  all  his  precepts.  Thus 
the  apostle  Paul  says  (Gal.  iii.  10),  quoting  from  Deu- 
teronomy (xxvii.  26),  "  Cursed  is  every  one  that  con- 
tinueth  not  in  all  thino-s  which  are  written  in  the  book 
of  the  law,  to  do  them."  The  apostle  James  goes  far- 
ther (ii.  10),  and  declares  that  "  whosoever  shall  keep 
the  whole  law,  and  yet  offend  in  one  point,  he  is  guilty 
of  all "  ;  because  he  is  a  rebel  against  the  authority  of 
the  law.  It  matters  not  what  obedience  we  may  other- 
wise or  at  other  times  perform,  a  single  act  of  trans- 
gression in  thought,  word,  or  deed  not  only  impairs 
our  obedience,  but  brings  us  under  the  penalty  of  the 
curse.     This  is  the  fact,  indeed,  with  regard  to  human 


172       JUSTIFICATION  BY   FAITH  DEFENDED;       [Lect.  XXX. 

law.  No  one,  convicted  of  a  single  theft  or  murder,  is 
freed  from  punishment,  because  he  did  not  steal  ten 
purses,  or  murder  ten  men.  It  was  his  duty  to  refrain 
from  stealing  anything,  or  wounding  any  one.  No  pre- 
vious or  subsequent  good  conduct  can  expiate  in  the  eye 
of  justice  any  one  act  of  crime.  The  law  requires  en- 
tire innocence.  It  is  true,  a  generally  good  character 
may  palliate,  but  never  in  strictness  can  atone  for  any 
offence.  Repentance  is  not  expiation,  because  all  our 
time  is  demanded  for  perfect  obedience. 

Now,  can  we  render  such  entire,  perfect,  constant 
obedience  ?  Is  there  any  one  of  our  good  works  in  its 
motive  pure  and  unmingled  with  sin  ?  Will  all  our 
conduct  stand  such  a  scrutiny  ?  Is  there  any  man  that 
liveth  and  sinneth  not  ?  The  word  of  God  says  No, 
and  conscience  echoes  the  negative.  There  is  no  one 
who  has  loved  God  with  his  whole  heart,  mind,  and 
strength.  There  is  no  one  who  has  loved  his  neicrhbor 
as  himself.  If  one  were  to  make  a  boast  of  such  per- 
fection, men  would  hoot  at  him  for  a  hypocrite,  and 
fear  him  as  an  arrant  knave,  who  sought  a  confidence 
he  would  be  sure  to  violate. 

There  is  no  hope  from  our  own  righteousness.  We 
have  not,  and  we  cannot  have,  any  good  works,  prop- 
erly so  called,  to  present  before  God.  Our  best  works 
are  too  imperfect  to  deserve  reward,  and  our  actual  sins 
positively  condemn  us. 

But  it  may  be  said,  that,  if  we  sincerely  endeavor  to 
do  the  very  best  in  our  power,  God  will  surely  pardon 
the  sins  of  our  infirmities,  and  accept  our  service,  im- 
perfect as  it  may  be.  The  justice  of  God  warrants  no 
such  expectation.  He  says  unequivocally,  "  The  soul 
that  sinneth,  it  shall  die."      If  he  be  so  forgiving  and 


Lect.  XXX.]       OR,   THE  DOCTRINE   OF  GOOD  WORKS.      173 

tolerant,  the  reason  must  lie  in  his  mercy ;  and  that 
would  be  salvation  by  grace,  not  of  works.  God  is 
merciful,  and  in  his  mercy  does  pardon  the  sins  and 
accept  the  services,  though  unworthy,  of  all  who  truly 
humble  themselves  to  accept  his  grace.  But  he  is  mer- 
ciful only  in  Christ,  and  for  Christ's  sake  only  he  par- 
dons and  accepts  the  unworthy.  If  we  seek  salvation 
there,  we  shall  certainly  find  it ;  but  we  cannot  deserve 
it,  and  that  is  what  we  intended  to  prove. 

Secondly  :  The  retvards  j^J^omised  to  our  good  ivorks 
are  not  because  of  merit  in  them,  but  of  the  grace  of  God. 

Rewards  are  certainly  promised  to  the  good  works  of 
God's  people  in  this  life,  and  especially  in  the  life  to 
come.  The  texts  of  Scripture  to  prove  this  are  so 
numerous  and  familiar,  that  we  scarcely  need  to  recite 
any.  Even  a  cup  of  cold  water  given  in  the  name  of 
one  of  Christ's  disciples,  shall  not  lose  its  reward  (Matt. 
X.  42). 

Good  works  are,  indeed,  essential  to  a  warranted 
hope  of  heaven,  as  is  clearly  shown  by  our  Lord  in  his 
parable  of  the  builders  (Matt.  vii.  21-27),  where  the 
man  who  heard  Christ's  sayings  and  did  them  not  is 
likened  to  one  who  built  his  house  upon  the  sand,  and 
to  whom  the  Lord  will  say,  "  I  never  knew  thee ; " 
and  in  his  description  of  the  judgment  (Matt.  xxv.  31- 
46),  where  he  declares  that  none  but  those  who  have 
done  good  to  their  fellow-men  in  trouble,  shall  be  re- 
ceived into  life  eternal. 

The  good  works  of  Christ's  people  follow  them  to 
heaven,  and  there  determine  the  degree  of  glory  which 
each  believer  shall  receive.  "  Blessed  are  the  dead 
which  die  in  the  Lord,  from  henceforth  ;  yea,  saith  the 
Spirit,  that  they  may  rest  from  their  labors ;  and  their 


174        JUSTIFICATION  BY  FAITH   DEFENDED;      [Lect.  XXX. 

works  do  follow  them  "  (Rev.  xiv.  13).  The  prece- 
dence given  in  heaven  to  those  who  were  faithful  in 
great  tribulations  (vii.  14),  and  the  spirit  of  the  Scrip- 
tures throughout,  show  that  in  proportion  to  their  fidel- 
ity shall  be  the  reward  of  the  redeemed,  where  there 
are  different  degrees  of  blessedness,  as  one  star  differ- 
eth  from  another  star  in  glory,  though  all  are  bright. 

Nay,  we  are  permitted,  in  imitation  of  our  Master, 
who,  "  for  the  joy  set  before  him,  endured  the  cross, 
despising  the  shame  "  (Heb.  xii.  1,  2),  to  have  "  re- 
spect "  as  Moses  had  (xi.  26)  "  to  the  recompense 
of  reward,"  and  to  believe,  as  the  apostle  assures  us, 
that  God  is  not  unrighteous  to  forget  our  work  and 
labor  of  love.  We  are  justified  and  encouraged  in  a 
noble  ambition  not  to  be  the  least  in  the  kingdom  of 
God,  but  to  "  lay  up  for  ourselves  treasures  where  nei- 
ther moth  nor  rust  doth  coi'rupt,  and  where  thieves 
break  not  through  and  steal  "  (Matt.  vi.  20)  ;  and  to 
secure  a  "great  reward  in  heaven"  (Matt.  v.  12). 

But  all  this  value  is  given  to  our  good  works  only  in 
consequence  of  the  grace  of  God  in  Chi'ist. 

1.  It  is  this  grace  which  pardons  and  delivers  us  from 
our  sins,  which  otherwise  would  condemn  and  desti'oy 
us,  notwithstanding  all  our  efforts  to  do  well ;  for,  cer- 
tainly, until  we  be  delivered  from  guilt  in  the  past,  we 
can  do  nothing  to  merit  favor. 

2.  It  is  this  grace  which  covers  and  pardons  all  the 
defects  which,  in  despite  of  all  our  efforts,  will  cling  to 
our  best  attempts  at  service.  The  works  of  the  believer 
are  washed  in  Christ's  blood,  and  adorned  by  his  merits, 
and  presented  by  his  intercession.  It  is  not  because 
they  are  worthy,  or  that  the  worker  is  worthy,  but  be- 
cause they  are  laid  upon  the  altar   Christ  Jesus,  that 


Lect.  XXX.]      OR,   THE  DOCTRINE  OF   GOOD  WORKS.        175 

they  are  both  acceptable  to  God.  For  consider,  my 
friends,  the  greatness  of  reward  promised.  Is  it  possi- 
ble that  the  best  rig-hteousness  a  man  could  accomplish 
during;  the  lono-est  life  on  earth  can  deserve  such  eter- 
nal  and  unspeakably  glorious  wages  as  are  given  to  the 
servants  of  Christ  in  heaven  ?  No  ;  nothing  less  than 
the  righteousness  of  Christ  could  deserve  a  reward  so 
vast ;  and  it  is  because  that  righteousness  is  reckoned 
unto  the  believer,  and  his  works  are  accepted  through 
that  righteousness,  he  receives  the  promises  and  the  ful- 
filment of  them.      And 

3.  It  is  this  grace  which  inclined  the  believer,  once  in 
"  darkness,"  (Eplies.  v.  8,)  and  "  ahenated  from  the 
life  of  God  through  ignorance "  (iv.  18)  to  good 
works.  But  for  sovereign  grace  he  had  remained  dead 
"  in  trespasses  and  sins  "  (ii.  1).  And  having  inclined 
him,  it  is  the  same  grace  which  enables  him  to  do  good 
works.  For,  says  the  Saviour,  "  without  me  ye  can  do 
nothing  "  (John  xv.  5)  ;  and  the  apostle  exhorts  us  to 
work  out  our  salvation  with  fear  and  trembling,  because 
it  is  God  that  worketli  in  us  both  to  will  and  to  do  of 
his  good  pleasure  (Phil.  ii.  12,  13). 

Since,  theii,  it  is  grace  that  delivers  us  from  condem- 
nation, thus  giving  us  the  opportunity  of  doing  good 
works,  and  grace  which  presents  our  good  works,  im- 
perfect in  themselves,  but  covered  with  Christ's  merits, 
which  grace  had  provided  ;  nay,  since  it  is  grace  which 
inclines  and  enables  us  to  do  any  good  work,  surelv, 
the  reward  of  our  good  works  is  not  of  their  merit,  but 
of  grace  alone. 

Thirdly  :  It  is  an  essential  j^roperty  of  saving  faith 
to  bring  forth  fruits  of  thankfulness  in  good  works. 

"  It  is  impossible,"  says  our  instructor,  "  that  those 


176       JUSTIFICATION    BY   FAITH    DEFENDED;       [Lect.  XXX. 

who  are  implanted  into  Christ  by  a  true  faith  should 
not  bring  forth  fruits  of  thankfuhiess." 
This  will  readily  be  seen,  if  we  consider 

1.  In  whom  the  Christicxn  believes.  It  is  in  Christ 
the  Saviour  from  sin,  who  delivers  from  the  necessary 
consequence  of  sin,  which  is  misery,  not  only  by  expiat- 
ing past  sin,  but  by  saving  his  people  from  sin  itself. 
Thus  the  father  of  the  Baptist,  in  his  thanksgiving, 
says  of  God  in  Christ :  "  He  grants  unto  us,  that  we, 
being  delivered  out  of  the  hand  of  our  enemies,  (i.  e. 
our  sins,)  might  serve  him  without  fear,  in  holiness  and 
righteousness  all  the  days  of  our  life  "  (Luke  i.  74,  75). 
If,  then,  the  great  end  and  work  of  the  Saviour  be  to 
make  us  obedient  and  holy,  it  is  impossible  that  any 
one  can  truly  believe  in  him  and  embrace  him  as  a 
Saviour,  who  is  not  truly  penitent,  heartily  desirous  of 
forsaking  all  sins,  and  of  living  according  to  all  the 
commandments  of  God.     Consider 

2.  To  whom  faith  unites  the  Christian. 

By  faith  he  is  vitally  united  to  Christ,  as  members 
of  his  body,  he  being  the  divine  head  (Ephes.  v.  30)  ; 
as  branches  to  the  stem,  he  being  the  living  vine 
(John  XV.  1-5)  ;  as  living  stones  in  God's  spiritual 
house,  he  being  the  chief  corner-stone  (Ephes.  ii.  20  ; 
1  Peter  ii.  5).  Now,  as  the  foundation  gives  strength 
and  sustenance  to  the  building,  as  the  stem  sheds  life 
and  fruitfulness  through  the  branches  engrafted  into  it, 
as  the  members  of  the  body  are  vitally  united  to  the 
head,  directed  by  it  and  inspired  from  it,  so  all  who 
truly  believe  in  Jesus  are  animated  by  a  life  superior 
to  their  own,  even  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  made  fruitful 
by  an  energy  superior  to  their  own,  even  the  grace  of 
the  Spirit,  and  sustained  by  a  power  superior  to  their 


Lect.  XXX.J      OR,  THE  DOCTRINE  OF  GOOD  WORKS.       177 

own,  even  the  strength  of  God  ;  so  it  is  impossible  but 
that  they  will  be  animated,  moved,  and  enabled  to  do 
good  works.  The  absence  of  such,  the  proper  effect, 
proves  the  absence  of  true  .faith,  the  cause.     Consider 

3.  Of  whom  the  Christian  learns  by  faith. 

It  is  of  God  in  Christ,  to  whom  all  the  prophets  and 
the  law  bear  witness.  The  true  believer  in  Christ, 
therefore,  believes  in  all  the  truth  of  God,  as  taught  in 
the  Scriptures.  All  the  doctrines,  all  the  precepts,  all 
the  promises. 

He  believes  in  the  infinitely  glorious  and  holy  attri- 
butes of  God  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  and 
thus  recognizes  himself  to  be  the  responsible  creature 
of  the  omnipotent,  all-seeing,  and  just  and  good  God. 
He  carries  this  thought  Avith  him,  and  lives  and  moves 
and  has  his  being  in  God. 

He  believes  in  the  purity,  exceeding  breadth,  and 
justice  of  the  divine  law  ;  and  thus  is  convinced  of  his 
sin,  its  enormity,  and  his  imminent  peril  of  eternal 
death,  should  he  not  be  pardoned  and  delivered  from 
his  sins,  but  continue  a  wilful  transgressor  and  rebel- 
lious creature. 

He  believes  in  the  riches  of  God's  grace  by  Jesus 
Christ ;  the  infinite  mercy,  which  proposed  to  save 
sinners;  the  infinite  mercy  which  sent  the  Son,  of  the 
Son  who  came,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  who  sanctified 
the  Son  incarnate  as  the  Saviour  ;  the  infinite  merit  of 
that  righteousness  which  the  Son  wrought  for  the  sal- 
vation of  sinners  ;  and  the  infinite  grace  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  by  which  that  righteousness  is  applied  to  and 
the  salvation  accomplished  for  and  in  the  believer  ;  and 
he  believes  in  the  infinite  glory  and  blessedness  of  that 

VOL.   II.  12 


178       JUSTIFICATION   BY  FAITH  DEFENDED;      [Lect.  XXX. 

life  eternal,  which  is  promised,  from  tlie  Father  by  the 
Son  and  through  the  Spirit,  to  all  who  believe. 

Now,  my  hearers,  you  cannot  fail  to  perceive  that 
such  faith  in  Christ  establishes  in  the  soul  of  the  be- 
liever, to  incline  and  maintain  him  in  good  works,  the 
three  strongest  principles  of  which  our  nature  is  capa- 
ble :  fear^  liope^  and  love. 

How  will  one,  who  believes  in  the  awful  holiness  and 
terrible  justice  of  God,  dare  knowingly  to  persevere  in 
the  commission  of  wrong  or  the  neglect  of  right  ? 
What  can  restrain  irregular  desire  and  passion  if  an 
habitual  sense  of  the  divine  presence  and  scrutiny  do 
not? 

And  when  faith  shows  in  strong  contrast  to  the  cai'es 
and  pleasures  and  gains  of  this  passing  life  the  bright 
eternity  of  rest  and  joy  and  glory  which  awaits  God's 
true  and  zealous  servants,  when  she  points  to  the  in- 
creased richness  of  their  reward  who  have  been  more 
true  and  faithful,  will  not  the  hope  of  that  heaven  and 
its  distinction  be  as  an  anchor  to  the  soul  of  the 
tempted,  a  solace  to  the  sad,  and  a  cheerful  argument 
to  endure  patiently,  and  work  steadfastly,  even  to  the 
end  ? 

But  above  all,  when  the  believer  thinks  of  all  the 
love  of  God  in  Christ  to  his  soul,  his  atonement,  his 
intercession,  his  power,  and  his  long-suffei*ing,  —  when 
he  remembers  Jesus  in  the  manger,  in  the  desert,  in 
Gethsemane,  on  the  cross,  and  then  looks  up  to  him 
upon  his  throne, — Avhen  he  reads  the  precious  promises 
bought  by  his  Master's  blood,  and  secured  by  his  Mas- 
ter's Sjiirit,  —  will  not  his  sinful,  selfish  thoughts  give 
way  before  a  gushing  tide  of  love  for  Christ  and  God  in 
Christ?    Can  he  choose  but  live  for  his  cause  who  died 


Lect.  XXX.]      OR,   THE  DOCTRINE  OF   GOOD  WORKS.       179 

and  rose  again  that  he  might  give  eternal  life  to  as 
many  as  would  receive  him  ? 

Nay,  my  brethren,  so  vital  is  the  connection  between 
true  faith  and  good  works,  that  faith  is  the  great  instru- 
ment by  which  the  Holy  Spirit  sanctifies  the  heart  of 
the  Christian.  It  is,  in  fact,  itself  a  part  of  the  sanc- 
tification,  and  the  good  works  which  it  produces,  the 
beginning  and  progress  of  the  very  salvation  which 
Christ  has  promised  to  the  believer. 

Thus  we  argue  that  it  is  an  essential  property  of 
saving  faith  to  bring  forth  fruits  of  thankfulness  in  good 
works.  And  in  this  we  see  the  harmony  of  the  apos- 
tles Paul  and  James,  when  the  one  says,  "  A  man  is 
justified  by  faith  without  the  deeds  of  the  law  "  (Rom. 
iii.  28)  ;  and  the  other,  "  that  by  works  man  is  justified 
and  not  by  faith  only  "  (James  ii.  24),  because,  as 
James  says  (17,  v.),  "  Faith,  if  it  hath  not  works,  is 
dead  being  alone  ;  "  and  (26,  v.)  "  as  the  body  without 
the  spirit  is  dead,  so  faith  without  works  is  dead  also." 
The  true  faith  which  engrafts  a  sinner  into  Christ  is 
ever  fruitful  in  good  works  ;  that  seeming  faith  which 
does  not  produce  such  sanctifying  consequences  is  not 
saving  faith  any  more  than  a  dead  body  is  a  man. 

It  is  true,  faith  does  not  at  once  perfectly  sanctify 
the  repentant  sinner.  That  is  not  the  order  of  God's 
grace.  But  the  work  is  begun  with  faith,  and  faith 
maintains  a  fight  with  the  world,  the  flesh,  and  the 
devil,  until  at  last  it  gains  a  consummate  victory. 

Let  us  learn  from  the  whole  subject, 
1.  Humility. 

Pride  in  good  works,  or  self-righteousness,  is  most 
inconsistent  with  a  Christian  temper  ;  because  all  that 


180        JUSTIFICATIOX   BY   FAITH   DEFENDED;      [Lect.  XXX. 

makes  a  difference  in  light  or  practice  between  one  sin- 
ner and  another  is  of  grace,  and  because  when  the  best 
Christian  compares  his  best  works  with  tlie  only  true 
standard,  the  law  of  God,  he  must  find  them  to  be  in 
themselves  utterly  unworthy  to  appear  before  his  Judge. 
Hence  the  best  Christians  are  always  the  most  humble, 
and  prove  it  by  being  the  most  charitable  in  the  judg- 
ment of  others.  It  was  not  the  pharisee  who  thanked 
God  that  he  was  not  as  other  men,  whom  God  justified  ; 
but  the  publican,  who  cried,  "  God  be  merciful  to  me  a 
sinner."  "  Take  heed,"  my  brethren,  "  and  beware  of 
the  leaven  of  the  pharisees." 

2.  Encouragement, 

The  requirements  of  the  divine  law  are  veiy  great, 
and  the  duties  of  a  Christian  life  very  difficult.  When 
in  our  weakness  we  contemplate  them,  we  are  afraid 
and  say,  "  Who  is  sufficient  for  these  things  ?  "  "  Who 
can  be  saved  ?  "  How  shall  we  dare  bring  before  God 
such  a  poor  and  imperfect  service  as  the  best  we  can 
render  must  be  ?  Yet,  my  brethren,  poor  as  our  best 
service  may  be,  it  can  be  made  better  by  divine  grace. 
That  "  grace  is  sufficient  for  us  " ;  and  if  we  offer  it 
unto  God  by  faith  in  Christ  Jesus,  his  righteousness 
can  cover  every  defect  and  make  meanness,  glory  ;  and 
poverty,  abounding  riches;  while  his  blood  washes  away 
every  stain.  Oh,  what  a  blessedness  to  lay  our  unwor- 
thy deeds  of  service  upon  the  altar  of  Christ's  worth, 
and  see  them  transmuted  into  ])recious  beauty,  accepta- 
ble and  welcome  to  God  his  Father  ;  and  to  know  that 
not  one  kind  act,  or  word,  or  thought,  for  Christ's  sake 
and  the  gospel's,  shall  ever  be  lost,  but  will  meet  us  in 
heaven,  and  be  our  joy  and  reward  and  decoration 
forever  among  the   angels   of  God !     So  the  best  be- 


Lect.  XXX.]      OR,  THE  DOCTRINE  OF  GOOD   WORKS.       181 

liever  is  ever  the  most  zealous  worker  in  good  to  God's 
cause  and  liis  fellow-men. 

3.  Caution. 

If  there  be  no  salvation  without  true  faith,  and  no 
true  faith  without  good  works,  it  is  wise  in  vis  most 
carefully  to  examine  ourselves,  whether  we  have  this 
faith  or  not.  Do  we  account  ourselves  orthodox  and 
strong  in  faith  ?  We  are  deceiving  ourselves,  except 
•  we  be  at  the  same  time  earnest  lovers  of  God  and  man, 
zealous  in  their  service,  and  ready  to  devote  all  we 
have  for  their  sakes.  The  three  worst  signs  in  a  pro- 
fessing Christian  are  pride,  sloth,  and  covetousness.  I 
know  not  which  is  the  worst,  for  they  grow  like  the 
trefoil  on  one  stem.  But  this  is  certain,  covetousness 
is  the  least  easily  cured. 

But,  at  the  same  time,  let  no  one  condemn  them- 
selves as  wanting  in  true  faith  because  they  are  not 
satisfied  with  the  degree  of  love  and  zeal  they  have. 
It  is  faith  which  shows  us  our  defects  ;  and  if  we  be 
truly  sorry  for  them  and  make  hearty  endeavors  to 
live  according  to  the  commandments  of  God,  we  may 
be  sure  that  God  accepts  us  in  Jesus  Christ,  because 
such  desires  and  efforts  are  the  fruit  of  faitli  alone. 
Faith  in  Christ's  cross  is  nothing  except  we  follow 
him ;  nor  can  we  follow  him  except  we  have  faith  in 
his  cross  ;  so  that  a  true  following  of  Christ  proves  a 
true  faith  in  Christ. 

Which  faith,  fruitful  in  good  works,  may  God  grant 
to  us  all  for  Jesus  Christ's  sake.     Amen. 


LECTURE   XXXI. 

FAITH  FROM  THE  HOLY  GHOST  THROUGH  THE 
WORD  AND  THE  SACRAMENTS. 


TWENTY-FIFTH   LORD'S  DAY. 

FAITH   FROM    THE    HOLY^    GHOST    THROUGH 
THE   WORD   AND   THE    SACRAMENTS. 

Quest.  LXV.  Since,  then,  tve  are  made  partakers  of  Christ  and  all  his  ben- 
efits by  faith  onhj,  whence  does  this  faith  proceed! 

Aks.  From  the  Holy  Ghost,  who  works  faith  in  our  hearts  by  the  preach- 
ing of  the  gospel,  and  confirms  it  by  the  use  of  the  sacraments. 

Quest.  LXVI.      What  are  the  sacrameyiisf 

Ans.  The  sacraments  are  holy,  visible  signs  and  seals,  appointed  by  God 
for  this  end,  that  b}'  the  use  thereof  he  may  the  more  fully  declare  and 
seal  to  us  the  promises  of  tiie  gospel;  viz:  that  he  grants  us  freely  the 
remission  of  sin,  and  life  eternal,  for  the  sake  of  that  one  sacrifice  of 
Christ,  accomplished  on  the  cross. 

Quest.  LXVII.  Are  both  loord  and  sacraments  there  ordained  and  appointed 
for  this  end,  diat  they  may  direct  our  faith  to  the  sacrifice  of  Jesus  Christ 
on  the  cross,  as  the  only  ground  of  our  salvation  f 

Ans.  Yes,  indeed;  for  the  Holy  Ghost  teaches  us  in  the  gospel,  and  as- 
sures us  by  the  sacraments,  tiiat  the  whole  of  our  salvation  depends 
upon  that  one  sacrifice  of  Christ  which  he  offered  for  us  on  the  cross. 

Quest.  LXVIII.  How  many  sacraments  has  Christ  instituted  in  the  New 
Covenant,  or  Testament  ? 

Ans.     Two;  viz:  holy  baptism  and  the  holy  supper. 

TF,  as  the  Scriptures  plainly  teach,  our  salvation  be 
-^  wholly  of  grace,  all  the  processes  and  means  by 
which  it  is  accomplished  must  also  be  of  grace,  espe- 
cially faith,  by  which  we  are  made  partakers  of  Christ 
and  all  his  benefits.  Thus  the  apostle  says  (Ephes.  ii. 
8),  "  By  grace  are  ye  saved  through  faith,  and  that  not 
of  yourselves,  it  is  the  gift  of  God."  The  whole  work 
of  salvation  through  faith  is  of  grace ;  and,  conse- 
quently, the  faith  itself  is  the  gift  of  God.  For,  as 
faith  is  the  act  of  a  regenerate  soul,  and  a  faculty  so 


186  FAITH   FKOM   THE  HOLY   GHOST.     [Lect.   XXXI. 

superior  to  our  fallen  nature  as  to  overcome  its  sinful 
tendency,  it  cannot  be  exercised  bj  a  sinner,  except  he 
has  it  from  the  grace  of  God.  "  No  man  can  say  that 
Jesus  is  the  Lord, but  by  the  Holy  Ghost"  (1  Oor.  xii. 
3).  Christ,  by  his  spirit,  is  the  author  and  finisher  of 
our  faith  (Heb.  xii.  2). 

But  this  dependence  upon  grace  does  not  render  our 
own  efforts  to  attain  salvation  unnecessary.  On  the 
contrary,  God  the  Holy  Ghost  woi'ks  by  means  adapted 
to  our  natures,  which  means  are  part  of  his  gracious 
plan,  according  to  whose  justified  mercy  he  offers  us 
salvation  ;  and  it  is  only  as  we  use  those  means  that  we 
can  hope  for  him  "  to  work  in  us  both  to  will  and  to  do 
of  his  good  pleasure."  These  means  being  appointed 
by  God  as  those  in  the  proper  use  of  which  he  is  will- 
ing to  bless  us,  it  is  disobedience  on  our  part  not  to  use 
them  zealously,  and  unbelief  not  to  expect  through 
them  the  blessings  he  has  promised. 

Our  instructor,  therefore,  while  he  directs  us  to  the 
Holy  Ghost  as  the  energetic  cause  of  faith,  directs  us 
also  to  those  means  by  our  use  of  which  he  works  and 
confirms  faith  in  our  hearts. 

This  divides  our  lesson  for  to-day  under  two  heads  : 
First  :  The  Source  of  Faith.  "  The  Holy  Ghost." 
Secondly  :  The  Means  of  Faith.  "  The  preaching  of 
the  gospel,"  and  "  the  use  of  the  sacraments." 

First  :   The  Holy  Ghost  is  the  source  of  faith. 

In  answer  to  the  question,  "  Whence  doth  this  faith 
(by  which  we  are  made  partakers  of  Christ  and  all  his 
benefits)  proceed  ?  "  our  instructor  says :  "  From  the 
Holy  Ghost,  who  works  faith  in  our  hearts  by  the 
preaching  of  the  gospel,  and  confirms  it  by  the  use  of 
the  sacraments." 


Lect.  XXXI.]       FAITH  FROM  THE  HOLY   GHOST.  187 

Here  are  three  things  to  be  marked  :  1.  Faith 
comes  from  the  Holy  Ghost.  2.  It  is  wrought  in  the 
heart.     3.   By  the  use  of  certain  means. 

1.   Faith  comes  from  the  Holy  Ghost. 

The  Master,  in  opening  the  gospel  to  Nicodemus,  as- 
serts first,  the  necessity  of  our  being  born  again,  and 
then,  of  faith  in  Christ :  "  Except  a  man  be  boini  again, 
he  cannot  see  the  kingdom  of  God  ; "  "  as  Moses  lifted 
up  the  serpent  in  the  wilderness,  even  so  must  the  Son 
of  man  be  lifted  up,  that  whosoever  believeth  in  him 
should  not  perish,  but  have  eternal  life."  He  gives  the 
reason  for  this  order  :  "  That  which  is  born  of  the  flesh 
is  flesh,  and  that  which  is  born  of  the  Spirit  is  spirit." 
No  man  in  his  natural  state  can  see  or  enter  into  the 
spiritual  things  of  the  kingdom  of  God.  He  must  have 
a  new  spiritual  life  before  he  can  discern  and  appre- 
hend the  doctrine  of  Christ ;  as  the  apostle  argues  (1 
Cor.  ii.  14),  "  The  natural  man  receiveth  not  the 
things  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  for  they  are  foolishness 
unto  him,  neither  can  he  know  them,  because  they  are 
spiritually  discerned."  We  cannot  believe  the  truths 
of  the  gospel  until  we  know  them. 

God  so  loved  the  world  as  to  give  his  Son  for  our 
salvation  ;  the  Son  has  given  himself;  and  the  Holy 
Ghost  has  his  office  in  the  saving  work,  which  is  the 
application  of  Christ's  righteousness  to  the  sinner,  and 
this  the  Divine  Sanctifier  does  by  enabling  the  sinner 
to  believe  in  Christ,  for  "  whosoever  believeth  in  him 
shall  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life." 

The  grace  of  the  Holy  Ghost  is  declared,  through- 
out the  New  Testament,  to  be  given  by  the  Father  in 
answer  to  the  prayers  of  the  Son,  and  in  reward  of  his 
righteousness.    "  When  the  Comforter  is  come,  whom  I 


188  FAITH   FROM   THE  HOLY  GHOST.      [Lect.  XXXI. 

will  send  unto  you  from  the  Father,  even  the  Spirit  of 
trutli,  which  proceedeth  from  the  Father,  he  shall  tes- 
tify of  me,"  said  the  Saviour  (John  xv.  26)  ;  and  the 
apostle  Peter  at  the  Pentecost,  "  Therefore  being  (z.  e. 
Christ)  at  the  right  hand  of  God  exalted,  and  having 
received  of  the  Father  the  promise  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
he  hath  shed  forth  this  which  ye  both  see  and  hear  " 
(Acts  ii.  33).  Thus  faith  is  itself  a  consequence  of 
the  righteousness  of  Christ ;  and  we  are  as  dependent 
upon  the  Holy  Ghost  for  faith  as  we  are  upon  the  Son 
for  atonement,  and  upon  the  Father  for  pardon. 

2.  The  Holy  Ghost  works  faith  in  the  heart  of  the 
sinner. 

Heart  is  here  used,  in  the  Scriptural  sense,  for  the 
moral  faculties  of  man.  It  is  the  renewed  man  that 
believes.  The  Holy  Ghost  does  not  believe  for  him, 
but  works  faith  in  him,  because  faith  is  a  j)ersonal  as- 
sent to  truth,  which  man  must  give  for  himself. 

Neither  is  faith  an  imjuilse,  instinct,  or  involuntary 
motion,  but  the  free,  intelligent  exercise  of  a  rational 
agent,  who  believes  because  he  knows  Avhat  is  truth 
upon  sufficient  testimony,  the  testimony  of  God.  It  is 
wrought  in  the  soul  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  not  against  the 
will,  or  contrary  to  the  laws  of  mind,  but  strictly  in 
accordance  with  our  rational  nature.  There  is,  indeed, 
a  new  life  shed  through  the  faculties,  freeino;  them  from 
the  bondage  of  sense,  and  inspiring  them  Avith  energy 
to  perceive  the  truth  ;  yet  faith  is  the  I'esult  of  convic- 
tion and  the  persuasion  of  the  understanding,  with  the 
choice  of  the  heart.  Hence  the  apostle  says,  "  We 
'persuade  men  "  (2  Cor.  v.  11),  the  Saviour  declares 
that  the  Holy  Ghost  convinces  (reproves,  our  transla- 
tion has  it)  (John  xvi.  8),  and  the  apostle  again  sets 


Lect.  XXXI.]      FAITH   FROM   THE    HOLY    GHOST.  1J59 

forth  the  whole  process  thus  :  "  God,  who  commanded 
the  light  to  shine  out  of  darkness,  hath  shined  in  our 
hearts  to  o-ive  the  light  of  the  knowledge  of  the  glory 
of  God  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ  "  (2  Cor.  iv.  6}. 

The  work  of  the  Holy  Ghost  is  not  the  less  sover- 
eign because  it  is  he  who  "  opens  "  (Ps.  cxix.  18)  and 
"  enliglitens  "  (Ephes.  i.  18)  the  understanding,  with- 
out whicli  we  could  not  see  or  know  what  is  truth. 
Still,  faith  is  the  gift  of  God  by  the  grace  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  though  the  exercise  of  it  is  the  act  of  the  soul. 

3.  Tiiis  faith  is  wrought  in  the  heart  by  the  Holy 
Ghost  throuo-h  certain  means. 

Though  we  cannot  doubt  that  there  is  an  immediate 
work  of  the  Holy  Ghost  upon  the  soul,  we  are  taught 
that  this  new  life  is  given  through  the  truth,  as  man  in 
the  beginning  was  created  by  the  word  of  God.  Thus 
we  are  said  to  be  "  born  of  the  word  of  God  "  (1  Pet. 
i.  23),  to  be  "  begotten  again  unto  a  lively  hope  by  the 
resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ"  (1  Pet.  i.  3),  which  is 
the  great  confirmatory  fact  of  the  gospel.  The  word 
of  God  is  "  the  sword  of  tlie  Spirit "  (Ephes.  vi.  17), 
and  the  gospel  is  sent  to  every  creature.  "  Faith  com- 
eth  by  hearing,  and  hearing  by  the  word  of  God  " 
(Rom.  X.  14—17),  for  how  can  we  believe  in  him  of 
whom  we  have  not  heard  ?  We  have  no  reason  to  ex- 
pect the  grace  of  the  Holy  Ghost  except  through  the 
truth. 

This  brings  us  to  consider. 

Secondly  :   The  means  of  faith. 

"  The  Holy  Ghost  works  faith  in  our  hearts  by  tlip 
preaching  of  the  gospel,  and  confirms  it  by  the  use  oi 
the  sacraments." 

Our  instructor  makes  a  distinction  between  "  work- 


190  FAITH   FROM   THE  HOLY   GHOST.      [Lect.  XXXI. 

ing  faith"  and  "confirming"  it.  The  gospel  is  the 
testimony  which  we  are  to  believe,  the  sacraments  are 
the  corroboration  or  assurance  of  that  testimony  to  ns. 
In  the  words  of  an  old  divine  (good  Bishop  Jewell)  : 
"  As  princes'  seals  confirm  and  warrant  their  deeds  and 
charters,  so  do  the  sacraments  witness  to  our  conscience 
that  God's  promises  are  true  and  shall  continue  forever. 
Thus  doth  God  make  known  his  secret  purpose  to  his 
church  :  First,  he  declareth  his  mercy  by  his  word, 
then  he  sealeth  it  and  assureth  it  by  his  sacraments.  In 
the  word  we  have  his  promises,  in  the  sacraments  we 
see  them."  Thus,  1.  The  gospel  is  the  truth  which  we 
are  to  believe.      2.   The  sacraments  confirm  it  to  us. 

1.  The  gospel  is  the  truth  which  we  are  to  believe. 

When  our  instructor  speaks  of  the  preaching  of  the 
gospel,  he  does  not  mean  only  the  preaching  of  his 
human  ministers,  though  that  is  a  principal  means  by 
which  he  gives  the  blessing  of  truth  (1  Cor.  i.  21)  ;  but 
he  properly  includes  the  manifestation  of  the  gospel  by 
the  word  of  God.  For  the  whole  Scripture  testifies  of 
Christ  (Luke  xxiv.  25-27).  The  gosjjel  was  preached 
unto  Abraham  four  hundred  and  thirty  years  before 
the  law  (Gal.  iii.  8),  and  to  the  antediluvian  sinners 
(1  Pet.  iii.  18,  19),  and  even  at  the  gate  of  Paradise 
in  the  first  promise  (Gen.  iii.  15).  The  gospel,  there- 
fore, is  the  Sci'iptures  of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments. 

We  are  to  receive  the  Scriptures  as  the  truth  of  God, 
because,  as  none  but  God  can  know  the  will  of  God, 
none  but  God  can  make  his  will  known  to  us. 

We  are  to  believe  all  the  Scriptures,  because  God 
has  revealetl  to  us  all  the  truth  they  contain  as  neces- 
sary to  a  suflficient  knowledge  of  himself,  ourselves,  and 
his  will  concerning  us. 


Lect.  XXXI]        faith  from  THE  HOLY  GHOST.  191 

We  are  to  receive  in  religious  faith  no  testimony  but 
that  of  God,  because  no  other  testimony  is  a  warrant 
for  rehgious  truth  ;  and  our  Lord  expressly  condemns 
the  Pliarisees  of  his  time  for  mingling  traditions  of 
men  with  the  commandments  of  God  (Mark  vii.  7)  ; 
and  the  apostle  bids  us  "  beware  lest  any  man  spoil  us 
....  after  the  traditions  of  men  "  (Col.  ii.  8). 

We  are  to  believe  the  word  of  God  heartily,  the 
word  of  God  wholly,  and  the  word  of  God  only,  as 
the  true,  perfect,  and  sole  rule  of  Christian  faith  and 
practice  (2  Tim.  iii.  15, 16,  17).  We  of  the  Reformed 
churches  allow  no  other  gospel  than  that  which  is 
taught  in  the  holy  Scriptures.  None  are  subdued  unto 
God  by  any  other  means  than  the  word  of  God,  the 
sword  of  the  Spirit.  None  grow  in  grace  but  as  they 
grow  in  the  knowledge  of  Jesus  Christ  set  forth  by  the 
Scriptures.  There  is  no  means  of  sanctification  but  the 
truth  of  the  word  of  God,  as  our  Saviour  prayed, 
"  Sanctify  them  through  thy  truth  ;  thy  word  is  truth  " 
(John  xvii.  17). 

2.  The  sacraments  confirm  the  gospel  to  our  souls. 

Here  three  questions  arise,  which  are  severally  an- 
swered by  our  instructor:  1.  What  is  a  sacrament? 
2.  To  what  end  are  they  appointed  ?  3.  How  many 
are  there  ? 

1.  What  is  a  sacrament  ? 

"  The  sacraments  are  holy,  visible  signs  and  seals 
appointed  of  God." 

The  word  sacrament  is  not  in  the  Sciiptures,  but  is  a 
Latin  term  adopted  by  the  early  Christians  to  signify 
what  in  the  Greek  original  is  called  a  mystery.  Mys- 
tery is  a  term  used  by  the  Greeks  in  their  false  worship 
to  signify  a  ceremony  teaching  or  illustrating  a  religious 


192  FAITH  FROM  THE  HOLY   GHOST.      [Lect.  XXXI. 

doctrine  to  the  ivorshipjyer.  Strangers,  or  ignorant  per- 
sons, were  not  admitted  to  a  share  in  such  mysteries, 
but  only  those  who  were  devoted  to  the  study  and  prac- 
tice of  religion.  A  sacrament,  therefore,  as  translating 
mystery,  meant  a  ceremony  illustrating  religious  doc- 
trine. There  were  some  particular  uses  of  the  word 
among  the  Romans,  as  an  oath,  a  pledge,  &c.,  but  the 
early  church  gave  it  the  sense  which  its  derivation  war- 
rants. Our  instructor  accurately  defines  what  we  as 
Christians  understand  by  sacraments:  "Holy  visible 
signs  and  seals  appointed  of  God  ....  to  declare  and 
seal  more  fully  to  us  the  promise  of  his  gospel." 

a.  A  sacrament  is  a  holy  sign,  or  a  sign  having  a 
holy  or  religious  character. 

It  is  an  outward,  sensible  form  or  ceremony,  in  which 
there  is  a  manifest  likeness  to,  or  representation  of,  the 
grace  presented  to  our  faith.  Thus,  the  washing  of 
baptism  presents  in  a  lively  figure  the  cleansing  of  our 
souls  by  the  grace  of  Christ ;  and  the  provisions  of  the 
Lord's  supper  the  nourishment  of  our  souls  by  the  doc- 
trine of  Christ  and  our  communion  or  fellowship  with 
his  true  body.  If  there  be  no  such  illustrative  sign, 
there  is  no  sacrament. 

b.  A  sacrament  is  a  seal  confirming  the  gospel,  whose 
grace  it  represents. 

It  is  more  than  a  mere  sign,  for  it  is  an  application  of 
grace  to  every  sincere,  intelligent  partaker  of  it ;  as 
God  said  of  circumcision,  which  was  a  sacrament  of  the 
Old  Testament  church  :  "  This  is  my  covenant  between 
me  and  you,  and  thy  seed  after  thee,  Every  man-child 
among  you  shall  be  circumcised "  (Gen.  xvii.  10). 
A  due  performance  of  that  rite  was,  according  to  the 
appointment  of  God,  a  reception  of  his  own  seal  to  the 


Lect.  XXXI.]      FAITH  FROM  THE  HOLY   GHOST.*  193 

truth  of  his  promise  ;  so,  by  the  appointment  of  God, 
do  the  sacraments  of  the  Christian  chiirch  assure  the 
grace  which  they  represent  to  every  one  who  truly  re- 
ceives them.  We,  by  using  the  sacraments  in  a  belief 
of  his  promise,  offer  our  hearts  to  God ;  and  he,  through 
the  sacraments,  seals  the  grace  upon  our  hearts,  not  in- 
deed by  the  outward  action,  but  by  the  power  oP  the 
Holy  Ghost  accompanying  it. 

c.  A  sacrament  is  a  sign  and  seal  appointed  of  God. 

None  but  God  can  ordain  the  method  of  our  relig- 
ious service,  because  he  only  is  the  object  of  such  ser- 
vice. We  have,  therefore,  no  right  to  use  any  form  or 
ceremony  in  liis  church  which  he  has  not  ordained.  It 
is  the  word  of  Christ  commanding  us  to  be  "  baptized 
in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,"  which  makes  the  application  of  water,  in 
that  holy  name,  to  the  believer  and  his  seed,  a  sacra- 
ment. It  is  the  word  of  Christ  commanding  us  to  do 
in  remembrance  of  him,  which  makes  a  participation 
of  bread  and  wine  as  representatives  of  his  broken  body 
and  shed  blood,  a  sacrament.  That  is  no  sacrament 
which  has  not  been  expressly  instituted  by  him.  In  the 
language  of  Augustine,  as  adopted  by  the  protestant 
doctors  :  "  Join  the  word  of  Christ's  institution  with 
the  sensible  creature  (or  sign),  and  thereof  is  made  a 
sacrament." 

2.   To  what  end  are  the  sacraments  appointed  ? 

"  They  are,"  says  our  instructor,  "  appointed  of  Go^l 
for  this  end,  that  by  the  use  thereof  he  may  more  fully 
declare  and  seal  to  us  the  promise  of  the  gospel,  viz  :  that 
he  grants  us  freely  the  remission  of  sin  and  life  eternal, 
for  the  sake  of  that  one  sacrifice  of  Christ,  accomplished 
on  the  cross." 

VOL.   II.  13 


194  FAITH  FROM  THE  HOLY  GHOST.     [Lect  XXXI. 

The  thirty-tliird  article  of  our  confession  is  fuller  and 
yet  more  explicit :  "  We  believe  that  our  gracious  God, 
on  account  of  our  weakness  and  infirmities,  hath  or- 
dained the  sacraments  for  us,  thereby  to  seal  unto  us 
his  promises,  and  to  be  pledges  of  the  good-will  and 
grace  of  God  toward  us,  and  also  to  nourish  and 
strengthen  our  faith :  which  he  hath  joined  to  the 
word  of  the  gospel,  the  better  to  pi;esent  to  our  senses 
both  that  which  he  signifies  to  us  by  his  word,  and  that 
which  he  works  inwardly  in  our  hearts,  thereby  assur- 
ing and  confirming  in  us  the  salvation  which  he  imparts 
to  us." 

The  purpose  of  the  sacraments  is  to  confirm  our 
faith  in  the  promises  of  the  gospel.  This  they  do,  not 
of  themselves,  but  by  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost  ac- 
companying them  to  every  true  partaker  of  them. 

a.  They  represent  to  our  senses  by  significant  em- 
blems the  doctrine  of  Christ's  grace.  Because  of  our 
spiritual  weakness  and  ignorance  of  spiritual  things, 
God  has  condescended  to  arrest  the  attention  of  our 
senses  themselves  by  these  perceptible  signs  or  emblems 
of  the  truth  which  he  addresses  to  our  minds,  that  so 
our  senses  may  assist  our  minds  in  meditating  upon  and 
understanding  the  truth.  We  find  the  necessity  of  il- 
lustrating spiritual  things  by  figures  taken  from  natural 
things  constant,  for  our  very  language  is  framed  chiefly 
to  speak  of  what  Ave  perceive  outwardly  by  our  senses. 
Our  divine  Master  and  the  Holy  Gliost,  throughout  the 
Scriptures,  have  regard  to  our  infirmities  by  explaining 
"  heavenly  things  "  by  "  earthly  "  (John  iii.  12).  The 
sacraments  are  such  figures  made  visible  by  actual  cere- 
mony. Thus  the  remission  of  sins  and  sanctification  of 
the  soul  by  the  atonement  of  Christ,  and  the  power  of 


Lect.  XXXI.]     FAITH   FROM   THE  HOLY   GHOST.  195 

the  Spirit,  is  called  a  washing,  a  sprinkling,  a  cleansing. 
This  mercy  of  God  is,  therefore,  represented  to  our 
senses  by  the  application  of  water,  that  so  our  attention 
may  be  fixed  upon  the  spiritual  truth.  The  Saviour 
declares  that  his  doctrine,  the  word  of  God  by  hnn,  is 
the  proper  nourishment  of  the  soul,  as  bread  invigo- 
rates and  wine  refreshes  the  body  ;  and,  therefore,  the 
sacrament  of  the  supper  presents  to  us  broken  bread 
and  poured-out  wine,  that  so  we,  as  we  receive  them, 
may  be  reminded  of  our  constant  dependence  upon 
Christ's  work  and  doctrine  and  spirit,  for  our  spiritual 
life,  until  he  comes  again  to  receive  us  unto  himself. 
The  sacraments  add  nothing  to  the  truth  itself,  but  as- 
sist us  in  understanding  it  more  clearly,  and  in  applyuig 
it  to  ourselves  more  closely. 

h.  The  sacraments  are  open  exhibitions  to  others  of 
that  covenant  by  which  believers  are  united  with  God 
in  Christ,  and  through  Christ  with  his  true  body,  his 
church, 

Christ  has  chosen  his  people  to  be  witnesses  for  him 
of  his  grace.  They  are  to  make  known  his  gospel  to 
the  world,  and  to  unite  with  and  assist  each  other  for 
that  end.  Therefore,  He  commands  them  to  come  out 
from  the  world  and  be  separate ;  to  take  up  the  cross, 
and  follow  him  ;  and  to  have  fellowship  one  with  an- 
other. It  is  necessary,  then,  that  this  distinction  fron> 
the  world  and  this  union  with  each  other,  as  believers 
and  servants  of  Christ,  should  be  openly  professed  and 
exhibited  ;  that  there  should  be  some  outward  sign  of 
their  faith  and  love,  some  expressive  representation  of 
that  which  they  acknowledge  in  their  hearts.  For  how 
shall  the  world  know  that  there  is  a  church,  if  it  re- 
main invisible  ?     How  shall  Christians  know  that  they 


196  FAITH   FROM  THE  HOLY   GHOST.      [Lect.  XXXI. 

have  brethren  in  Christ,  if  they  do  not  confess  them- 
selves ?  How  shall  they  testify  to  the  faith  of  Christ, 
except  before  men  ?  Thus,  in  baptism,  the  believer 
declares  that  he  dedicates  himself,  or,  so  far  as  a  parent 
can  act  for  his  child,  his  offspring  to  the  service  of 
Christ,  upon  the  washing  of  whose  blood  he  relies  for 
the  remission  of  sins.  In  the  Lord's  supper,  he  ratifies 
his  promise  of  fidelity  to  Christ,  and  acknowledges  a 
brotherly  fellowship  with  the  ])eople  of  Christ,  who 
surround  as  one  family  the  holy  table,  and  partake  of 
the  same  bread  and  cup,  the  sensible  emblems  of  Christ's 
broken  body  and  shed  blood,  thereby  uniting  themselves 
to  each  other  as  they  are  united  to  their  common  head. 
Christians  show  forth  all  this  to  the  world  by  sacra- 
ments, illustrating  it  in  a  most  lively  manner  ;  and  by 
so  doing  they  are  confirmed  in  their  faith,  not  only  by 
the  representation  made,  but  by  the  fact  that  they  obey, 
the  command  of  Christ  their  Lord. 

c.  The  sacraments  and  pledges  of  the  grace  of 
Christ  testifying  his  spiritual  presence  with  his  church 
until  he  come. 

When  God  instituted  circumcision,  he  said :  "  Thou 
shalt  keep  my  covenant  therefore,  thou,  and  thy  seed 
after  thee  in  their  generations.  This  is  my  covenant 
which  ye  shall  keep,  between  me  and  you,  and  thy  seed 
after  thee  :  Every  man-child  among  you  shall  be  cir- 
cumcised." (Genesis  xvii.  9,  10.)  That  is  to  say, 
every  time  the  parent,  in  obedience  to  the  divine  com- 
mand, and  reliance  upon  the  divine  promise,  should 
circumcise  a  child,  thereby  dedicating  him  to  God, 
God  would  ratify  on  his  part  the  covenant  made  with 
Abraham  for  himself  and  his  seed,  until  the  promise  of 
the  Saviour  should  be  fulfilled.     In  like  manner  God 


Lect.  XXXI.]       FAITH   FROM   THE   HOLY   GHOST.  197 

commanded  the  Passover  to  be  kept  as  a  perpetual  or- 
dinance (Exodus  xii.  24),  that,  being  reminded  of  the 
deliverance  wrought  for  them  out  of  the  liands  of  the 
Eoyptians,  the  Israelites  might  acknowledge  and  put 
their  trust  in  God  as  their  constant  protector  and  re- 
deemer. So,  every  time  that  the  sacraments  are  admin- 
istered, does  Christ  renew  and  confirm  his  covenant, 
setting  forth  his  spiritual  presence  and  power  to  wash 
away  sin  and  to  keep  his  people.  For  although  bap- 
tism, beins:  the  ordinance  initiatory  to  the  visible  church, 
ma}^  not  be  administered  more  than  once  to  the  same 
person,  yet  are  we  reminded  of  our  own  baptism,  and 
of  the  grace  of  Christ  signified  by  it,  whenever  before 
the  church  it  is  administered  to  another,  while  of  the 
Lord's  supper  we  are  required  often  to  partake,  not 
only  in  remembrance  of  Christ's  death,  but  in  hope  of 
his  coming  and  belief  of  his  presence,  as  we  learn  from 
the  nature  of  the  ordinance  and  the  words  of  the  apos- 
tle Paul :  "  For  as  oft  as  ye  eat  this  bread  and  drink 
this  cup,  ye  do  show  the  Lord's  death  till  he  come  " 
(1  Cor.  xi.  2G).  It  is  the  commemoration  of  his  death, 
with  sensible  signs  of  his  presence,  and  until  he  come. 
Whoever  by  faith  receives  the  sacraments,  does  in  so 
doing  receive  personally  the  promise  and  grace  of  the 
Saviour  represented  in  them,  and  as  a  member  of  his 
church  has  a  confirmation  of  Christ's  grace  to  the 
church. 

3.  How  many  sacraments  are  there  ? 

"  Two :  namely.  Holy  Baptism,  and  the  Holy  Sup- 
per." 

There  is  no  need  of  argument  to  prove  this  assertion 
of  our  instructor,  for  only  baptism  and  the  Lord's  sup- 
per have  the  marks  and  institution  by  Christ,  which  we 


198  FAITH   FROM   THE   HOLY   GHOST.      [Lect.  XXXI. 

have  shown  to  characterize  a  sacrament.  So  taught 
the  early  fathers,  as  Augustine,  Ambrose,  and  many 
before  them  ;  for  although  some  of  them  speak  of  other 
religious  things  sometimes  as  sacraments,  they  meant 
only  that  they  were  sacred  mysteries,  but  not  sacra- 
ments as  Ave  have  defined  them.  Even  the  Papists, 
who  call  confirmatioyi,  penance,  extreme  unction,  matH- 
mony,  and  holy  orders,  sacraments,  do  not,  according 
to  their  learned  authors,  consider  them  as  fully  sacra- 
ments as  baptism  and  the  Lord's  supper,  but  eminently 
sacred  things.  So  Bessarion  says,  "We  read  that  these 
two  only  sacraments  were  delivered  as  plainly  in  the 
gospel."  The  entire  Protestant  church  is  agreed  in 
receiving  these  two  onlv  as  sacraments. 

Let  us,  therefore,  learn  from  the  whole  subject  — 

1.  Our  entire  dependence  upon  the  grace  of  the 
Holy  Ghost  for  faith,  in  its  beginning,  growth,  and 
perfection.  It  is  an  essential  part  of  that  sanctifying 
salvation,  which  God  bestows  through  Jesus  Christ  by 
the  Holy  Ghost.  Neither  the  word  of  the  gospel  which 
proclaims  salvation,  nor  the  sacraments  w^hicli  seal  and 
confirm  the  word,  can  avail  us  anything,  except  the 
Holy  Ghost  communicates  with  them,  and  through 
them,  his  saving  energy. 

2.  The  truth  of  God  as  revealed  in  the  Old  and 
New  Testaments  is  the  sole  instrument  of  our  salva- 
tion. 

It  is  only  by  our  belief  of  that  word  God  has  prom- 
ised to  sanctify  our  heart ;  and,  therefore,  no  grace  is 
communicated  through  any  ceremony  or  form,  how- 
ever sacred,  not  even  the  sacraments,  except  we  have 
a  believing  apprehension  of  the  truth  represented  by 
them.      The   grace    of  the    sacraments  is  not  in  the 


I 


Lect.  XXXI.]     FAITH  FKOM  THE  HOLY  GHOST.  199 

water,  or  the  bread  and  wine,  which  are  only  external, 
corporeal  signs,  but  in  the  truth  they  present  to  every 
soul  who  obediently  receives  them. 

3.  The  great  purpose  of  both  word  and  sacraments 
is  to  direct  us  "  to  the  sacrifice  of  Jesus  Christ  on  the 
cross  as  the  only  ground  of  our  salvation." 

We  are  not  to  rely  upon  any  reading  of  the  word, 
or  participation  of  the  sacraments,  or  upon  any  cere- 
mony we  perform,  or  any  work  that  we  do,  for  our  sal- 
vation ;  they  are  only  the  means  which  show  us  the 
true  2:round  of  our  faith,  the  sufficient  finished  work 
of  Christ.  It  is  a  base  and  heathenish  abuse  of  the 
means  of  grace,  if  we  turn  them  into  objects  of  trust, 
instead  of  Christ. 

4.  Our  duty  and  encouragement  to  use  diligently 
the  means  of  grace,  especially  the  word  of  God  and 
the  sacraments. 

Though  we  are  entirely  dependent  upon  the  grace 
of  the  Holy  Ghost,  yet  doth  God  require  of  us  our 
own  efforts  to  attain  his  salvation.  He  has  commanded 
us  to  search  his  Scriptures,  to  be  baptized,  and  to  ob- 
serve the  sacramental  feast  in  remembrance  of  the 
death  of  Christ.  Through  these  means,  the  word  in 
making  known  his  promises,  and  the  sacraments  in  con- 
firming them,  he  has  promised  to  answer  our  prayers 
for  his  divine  assistance.  Our  neglect  to  use  the  ap- 
pointed means  of  blessing,  is,  therefore,  a  refusal  of 
the  blessing  itself;  but  when  we  use  them,  we  do,  by 
faith  and  in  obedience  to  him,  open  into  our  souls  the 
channels  of  his  saving  grace.  His  promise  is  to  the 
believing,  and  the  proof  of  faith  is  obedience.  To 
disobey  God,  in  not  using  the    means   of  grace,  is    to 


200  FAITH  FROM  THE  HOLY  GHOST.     [Lect.  XXXI. 

shut  ourselves  out  of  the  promise  ;  to  obey  him  in  these 
sacred  duties,  is  not,  indeed,  to  merit  any  favor,  but  it 
is  to  do  that  in  the  doing  of  which  he  is  graciously 
pleased  to  confer  his  favor  only  for  the  sake  of  Jesus 
Christ  the  Lord,  our  righteousness  and  strength. 


LECTURE  XXXIL 
BAPTISM. 

No.  I. 
ITS  AUTHORITY  AND  DESIGN. 


\ 


TWENTY-SIXTH  AND   TWENTY-SEVENTH   LORD'S 
DAYS. 

BAPTISM. 
I.  — ITS  AUTHORITY  AND  DESIGN. 

TWENTT-SIXTH    LORD'S    DAT. 

Quest.  LXIX.  Hmu  art  thou  admonished  and  assured  by  holy  bajHism,  that 
the  one  sacrifice  of  Christ  tipon  the  cross  is  of  real  advantage  to  thee  ? 

Ans.  Thus:  that  Christ  appointed  this  external  washing  with  water, 
adding  thereto  this  promise,  that  I  am  as  certainly  washed  by  his 
blood  and  Spirit  from  all  the  pollution  of  my  soul,  that  is,  from  all  my 
sins,  as  I  am  washed  externally  with  water,  by  which  the  tilthiness  of 
the  body  is  commonly  washed  away. 

Quest.  LXX.     What  is  it  to  be  washed  with  the  blood  and  Spirit  of  Christ  ? 

Aks.  It  is  to  receive  of  God  the  remission  of  sins  freely  for  the  sake  of 
Christ's  blood,  which  he  shed  for  us  by  his  sacrifice  on  the  cross;  and, 
also,  to  be  renewed  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  sanctified  to  be  members 
of  Christ;  so  that  we  may  more  and  more  die  unto  sin,  and  lead  holy 
and  unblamable  lives. 

Quest.  LXXI.  Where  has  Christ  promised  tis  that  he  will  as  certahdy  wash 
us  by  his  blood  and  Spirit,  as  we  are  washed  tvith  the  water  ofbaj)tism  ? 

Ans.  At  the  institution  of  baptism,  which  is  thus  expressed:  "Go  ye, 
therefore,  and  teach  all  nations,  baptizing  them  in  the  name  of  the 
Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost;  "  "  He  that  believeth 
and  is  baptized  shall  be  saved;  but  he  that  believeth  not,  shall  be 
damned."  The  promise  is  also  repeated,  where  the  Scripture  calls 
baptism,  ''the  washing  of  regeneration,"  and  "the  washing  away  of 
sins." 

TWENTY-SEVENTH    LORd's    DAY. 

Quest.  LXXII.     Is,  then,  the  external  baptism  with  water  the  washing  away 

of  sin  itself  f 
Ans.     Not  at  all ;  for  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  only,  and  the  Holy  Ghost 

cleanse  us  from  all  sin. 


204  BAPTISM :  [Lect.  XXXII 

Quest.  LXXIII.  Why,  then,  clvth  the  Holy  Ghost  call  baptism  '■'■  Ihewanlilng 
of  regeneration  "  and  "  the  washing  away  of  sins  "  f 

Ans.  God  speaks  thus  not  without  great  cause;  to  wit,  not  only  thereby 
to  teach  us,  that  the  filth  of  the  body  is  purged  awaj'  by  water,  so  our 
sins  are  removed  by  the  blood  and  Spirit  of  Jesus  Ciirist,  but  espe- 
cially that  by  this  divine  pledge  and  sign  he  may  assure  us  that  we 
are  spiritualij'  cleansed  from  our  sins  as  really  as  we  are  externally 
washed  with  water. 

Quest.  LXXIV.     Are  infants  also  to  be  baptized? 

Ans.  Yes;  for  since  the}',  as  well  as  the  adult,  are  included  in  the  cove- 
nant and  church  of  God,  and  since  redemption  from  sin  by  the  blood 
of  Christ  and  the  Holy  Ghost  is  promised  to  them  no  less  than  to  the 
adult,  they  must,  therefore,  by  baptism,  as  a  sign  of  the  covenant,  be 
admitted  into  the  Christian  church,  and  be  distinguished  from  the 
children  of  infidels;  as  was  done  in  the  old  covenant  or  testament  by 
circumcision,  instead  of  which  baptism  is  instituted  in  the  new  co%'e- 
nant.* 

n^HE  lesson  before  us  includes  the  whole  doctrine  of 
-*-  Christian  baptism,  to  a  somewhat  enlarged,  though 
still  concise  exposition  of  which  our  thoughts  will  now 
be  directed. 

It  mitst  be  remembered  throughout  our  study  of  the 
Catechism,  that  the  person  questioned  is  supposed  to 
be  a  truly  regenerate  Christian,  who  has  had  in  his 
own  experience  the  proof  of  the  divine  truths  which 
his  answers  set  forth.  This  will  account  for  the  posi- 
tive and  assured  manner  of  his  claiming  a  personal 
concern  in  the  several  blessings  of  a  Christian  life. 

For  the  sake  of  greater  convenience  in  our  analysis 
and  explanation  of  the  matter  here  treated  by  the 
church,  let  us  arrange  the  whole  under  the  following 
heads :  — 

First  :  The  authority/  for  our  use  of  Christian  bap- 
tism.    Secondly  :    The   design   of  Christian   baptism. 

*  We  take  these  two  sections  together,  because,  though  divided  for  the 
convenience  of  recitation  on  successive  Lord's  Days,  and  the  subject  re- 
quires more  than  one  discourse,  we  cannot  treat  of  it  properly  without 
referring  to  the  matter  contained  in  both  at  each  stage  of  the  exposition. 


Lect.  XXXII.]      ITS   AUTHORITY   AND  DESIGN.  205 

Thirdly  :  The  mode  of  its  admhiistratioyi.  Fourthly  : 
The  sidnjects  to  ivhom  it  should  he  administered. 

First  :  The  author itt/  for  our  use  of  Christian  bap- 
tism. 

Baptism.,  simply  speaking,  is  the  application  of  ivater, 
as  in  the  act  of  washing  or  cleansing ;  Christian  bap- 
tism is  the  applicatio7i  of  tvater  to  a  person  "  in  the  name 
of  the  Father^  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost.'''' 
"  I  indeed,"  said  John  the  Baptist,  "  baptize  you  with 
water,  but  one  mightier  than  I  cometh,  the  latchet  of 
whose  shoes  I  am  not  worthy  to  unloose  ;  lie  shall  bap- 
tize you  with  the  Holy  Ghost  and  with  fire  "  (Luke  iii. 
16).  This  shows  that  the  significance  of  baptism  lies 
in  the  application  of  the  element  to  the  person,  not  of 
the  person  to  the  element.  "  Go  ye,  therefore,"  said 
our  Lord  to  his  apostles,  "  and  teach  all  nations,  baptiz- 
ing them  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son, 
and  of  the  Holy  Ghost  "  (Matt,  xxviii.  19).  This 
shows  that  the  pronouncing  of  the  words  prescribed,  at 
the  time  of  applying  the  element,  is  necessary  to  the 
sacrament ;  indeed,  it  were  else  utterly  unmeaning. 
That  water  is  the  proper  and  only  element  to  be  used, 
we  learn  from  many  Scriptures,  especially  from  that 
giving  an  account  of  the  Ethiopian  eunuch,  baptizing 
(Acts  viii.  36-38)  ;  and  the  question  of  Peter,  the 
apostle,  before  baptizing  the  household  of  Cornelius  : 
"  Can  any  man  forbid  water,  that  these  should  not  be 
baptized  which  have  received  the  Holy  Ghost  as  well 
as  we  ?  "  (Acts  x.  47.)  The  definition  we  have  given 
may,  therefore,  suffice  until  we  come  to  speak  more 
particularly  of  the  mode  in  which  baptism  should  be 
administered.  The  authority  for  our  use  of  this  exter- 
nal baptism,  or  the  propriety  of  our  administering  it,  is 


206  BAPTISM  :  [Lect.  XXXII. 

not  questioned  by  any  known  portion  of  such  as  call 
themselves  Christians,  except  the  Society  of  Friends  ; 
but,  as  we  derive  our  warrant  for  any  Christian  custom 
only  from  the  word  of  God,  let  us  refer  to  that  absolute 
and  infallible  oracle. 

I.  The  command  of  our  Lord,  the  head  of  his 
church,  cited  but  a  moment  since,  is  positive.  He 
enjoined  upon  his  disciples  to  baptize,  as  certainly  as  he 
did  to  teach,  all  nations.  This  sacrament,  therefore, 
with  the  preaching  of  the  gospel,  lies  at  the,  founda- 
tion of  the  Christian  church.  Wherever  the  word  of 
Christ  is  proclaimed  and  men  are  "  discipled,"  or  truly 
learn  and  believe  the  glad  tidings,  baptism  is  to  be 
administered. 

II.  That  the  ordinance  was  not  tempoi-ary,  or  only 
for  the  beginning  of  the  church,  is  clear  from  the  prom- 
ise annexed,  which  shows  the  duration  of  the  command : 
"  Lo  !  I  am  with  you  alway,  even  unto  the  end  of  the 
world,"  or  the  consummation  of  the  present  economy 
(Matt,  xxviii.  20).  Until  all  nations  shall  have  been 
"  discipled,"  and  the  Redeemer's  kingdom  on  earth 
made  complete  by  the  universal  triumph  of  his  gospel, 
his  word  is  to  be  preached  and  baptism  continued  with 
it.     This  is  farther  confirmed  by 

III.  The  inspired  practice  of  the  primitive  church. 
The  administration  of  baptism  was  not  restricted  to  the 
hands  of  the  apostles,  but  all  the  authorized  preachers 
of  the  gospel  appear  to  have  baptized  also.  Thus 
Philip,  first  ordained  a  deacon,  but  afterwards,  as  we 
may  suppose,  advanced  to  be  an  evangelist,  since  the 
deacon's  office  (purposely  distinct  from  that  of  those 
who  gave  themselves  "  continually  to  prayer  and  the 
ministry  of  the  word  ")  was  the  care  of  the  poor  (Acts 


Lect.  XXXII.]      ITS  AUTHORITY  AND   DESIGN.  207 

vi.  2-4),  baptized  many  in  Samaria,  the  Ethiopian 
eunuch,  and  doubtless  a  multitude  of  other  converts, 
under  his  successful  ministry  (viii.  27-38).  Paul  was 
baptized  at  Damascus  (ix.  18)  three  years  before  he 
ever  saw  a  brother  apostle  (Gal.  i.  17,  18)  ;  and  he 
afterwards  speaks  of  the  Corinthian  Christians  as  hav- 
ing been  baptized,  although  he  himself  had  baptized 
none  of  them  but  Crispus,  Gaius,  and  the  household  of 
Stephanas  (1  Cor.  i.  13-16)  ;  so  he  says  to  the  Gala- 
tian  converts  and  to  all  Christians  :  "  As  many  of  you 
as  have  been  baptized  into  Christ  have  put  on  Christ  " 
(Gal.  iii.  27),  implying  that  only  they  who  had  been 
baptized  had  put  on  Christ  ;  which  accords  with 
Christ's  own  declaration,  "  He  that  believeth  and  is 
baptized  shall  be  saved  "  (Mark  xvi.  16),  and  the  com- 
mand of  the  apostle  Peter  at  the  Pentecost,  "  Repent 
and  be  baptized,  every  one  of  you,  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  "  (Acts  ii.  38).  This  practice  of  baptizing 
every  person  who  desired  to  confess  the  Christian 
faith,  thus  indubitably  observed  during  the  apostolic 
age,  was  maintained  by  the  whole  Christian  world,  un- 
til the  preaching  of  George  Fox,  about  the  middle  of 
the  seventeenth  century  ;  nor  has  it  ever  been  ques- 
tioned but  by  his  disciples.* 

Secondly  :   The  design  of  Christian  baptism. 

It  being  the  purpose  of  God  in  Christ  to  constitute 
his  church  visibly  on  earth,  certain  visible,  palpable 
rites,  or  acted  forms,  became  necessary,  by  which  his 

*  This  statement  needs  some  qualification,  if  we  allow  the  Valentinians 
and  Manicheans  to  have  been  Christians.  There  was  also  a  Carthaginian 
woman,  Quintilla,  who  preached  that  baptism  was  useless,  and  who  had 
some  followers.  The  Messalians,  a  small  absurd  sect,  are  thought  by 
some  to  have  rejected  baptism,  but  it  is  not  certain.  See  Wall,  Part  II. 
ch.  5. 


208  BAPTISM:  [Lkct.  XXXIT. 

gracious  M'ill  concerning  his  people  should  be  expressed 
on  his  part,  and  recognized  on  theirs.  Such  forms,  in 
addition  to  the  sure  divine  word  of  prophecy,  were 
extensively  provided  under  the  Old  Testament,  by 
ordaining  which  God  visibly  ])refigured  the  blessings 
of  salvation,  and  by  using  which  the  true  Israelite 
avowed  his  faith  in  the  implied  promises.  They  were, 
therefore,  manifest  seals  of  his  covenant  with  them  and 
of  their  covenant  with  him.  The  dispensation  of  the 
New  Testament,  or  covenant,  being  eminently  spirit- 
ual, and  the  way  of  salvation  fully  declared  by  the 
work  of  Christ,  as  set  forth  in  the  evangelical  Scrip- 
tures, but  more  especially  by  the  enlarged  testimony 
of  the  Holy  Ghost  to  our  hearts,  the  rites  commemora- 
tive of  Christ  were  not  required  to  be  so  many  as  those 
which,  now  done  away  by  their  fulfilment  in  Christ, 
had  before  prefigured  him.  Nay,  though  some  such 
forms  were  necessary,  our  Lord  was  careful  to  teach  us 
that  his  religion  is  not  in  form,  but  spirit,  by  ordaining 
(as  has  been  shown,  twenty-fifth  Lord's  Day)  only 
two,  and  those  of  the  most  simple  character. 

As,  also,  the  gospel  was  first  preached  to  the  Jews, 
and  the  rites  of  the  Old  Testament  were,  though  typi- 
cal, eloquently  illustrative  of  the  gospel,  our  Lord  in 
his  condescending  wisdom  chose  for  his  church  such 
sacramental  signs  and  seals  as  nearly  resembled  those  of 
the  obsolete  dispensation.  The  two  great  sacramental 
types  were  circumcision  and  the  passover :  the  first 
being  the  introduction  of  the  new-born  Israelite,  or  of 
the  adult  proselyte,  to  the  blessings  of  the  external 
covenant ;  the  second,  a  personal  confirmation  of  the 
covenant  to  and  by  the  circumcised  one.  Circumcision 
signified  "  the  putting  away  of  the  filth  of  the  flesh  " 


Lect.  XXXII.]        ITS   AUTHORITY   AND  DESIGN.  209 

(1  Pet.  iii.  21)  ;  but  this  was  also  signified  by  the 
"  divers  washings  "  (Heb.  ix.  10),  principally  sprink- 
ling of  water  and  the  blood  of  sacrifices.  The  passo- 
ver,  in  which  the  sacrificed  lamb,  whose  sprinkled 
blood  saved  the  first-born  of  Israel  from  the  destroying 
angel,  was  partaken  of  as  food  by  tiie  worshippers, 
typified  Jesus,  the  Lamb  of  God,  whose  blood  is  the 
salvation  of  his  people  from  the  wrath  of  God,  of  which 
deliverance  all  who  believe  in  him  are  partakers,  as  a 
family  in  common  ;  but  this  redemption  was  also  signi- 
fied by  all  Levitical  sacrifices  of  atonement.  Thus, 
circumcision  and  the  passover  comprehended  in  their 
significance  all  the  rites  of  the  ancient  economy,  they 
together  having  in  them  the  ideas  of  covenant,  cleans- 
ing,  redemption,  and  fellowship.  The  Lord's  supper, 
as  we  shall  have  farther  occasion  to  show,  was  ordained 
in  the  place  of  the  Paschal  ceremony  ;  our  Lord  hav- 
ing first  stripped  it  of  all  pomp  and  unnecessary  cir- 
cumstance, according  to  the  simplicity  of  his  gospel, 
and  made  it  as  simple  as  a  household  meal,  the  beauti- 
ful sacrament  of  household  love. 

Baptism  was  ordained  in  the  place  of  circumcision. 
That  was  a  painful  ordinance  (Ex.  iv.  25,  26),  and, 
therefore,  unsuited  to  the  mercy  of  the  gospel.  Be- 
sides, while  signifying  the  cleansing  of  the  flesh,  it  had 
another  aneaning,  rendered  obsolete  by  the  coming  of 
Christ :  the  promise  of  the  Messiah  through  the  propa- 
o-ation  of  Abraham's  covenanted  race.     The  other  con- 

&  ^ 

sentaneous  sign  of  cleansing,  washing,  or  more  fre- 
quently sprinkling  (water  being  commanded  in  the 
place  of  blood,  because  the  sacrifice  had  ceased),  was 
chosen  as  the  primary  sacrament.  The  idea  of  cove- 
nant was  also  preserved  by  this  symbolical  washing,  as 

VOL.  II.  14 


210  BAPTISM  :  [Lect.  XXXII. 

we  read  that  Moses,  after  the  giving  of  the  moral  law, 
"  took  the  blood  "  "  of  peace-offerings  "  "  and  sprinkled 
it  on  the  people,  and  said,  Behold  the  blood  of  the 
covenant  which  the  Lord  hath  made  with  you  concern- 
ing all  these  words  "  (Ex.  xxiv.  5-8).  It  is  proper  for 
you  to  mark  here,  though  we  shall  speak  of  it  again, 
how  very  simple  and  stripped  of  all  other  ceremony  is 
the  ordinance  of  baptism  according  to  our  Lord's  insti- 
tution of  it, — as  simple  as  the  washing  or  sprinkling 
with  water. 

We  are  now  better  prepared  to  see  what  was  the  end 
our  Lord  proposed  in  ordaining  the  sacrament  of  Chris- 
tian baptism  for  the  confirmation  of  our  faith  ;  and,  fol- 
lowino;  the  order  of  our  catechetical  instructor,  we  shall 
first  observe  what  it  is,  and  then,  what  it  is  not. 

I.  The  first  question  may  be  met  by  saying  that 
Christian  baptism  is  a  sign,  a  seal,  and  a  j^^'ofession  :  a 
sign,  as  it  is  significant  of  certain  truths ;  a  seal,  as  it 
is  an  assurance  of  certain  benefits  ;  and  a  pirrfession,  as 
the  recipient  on  his  own  part  makes  a  profession  to  the 
church,  and  the  church  by  baptizing  him  makes  a  pro- 
fession to  him  on  behalf  of  God. 

1.  Christian  baptism  is  a  sign,  being  significant  of 
certain  truths. 

What  these  truths  are,  we  gather  from  the  Answers 
to  the  69th  and  70th  Questions  :  — 

"  Soiv  art  thou  admonished  and  assured  hy  holy  bap- 
tism, that  the  one  sacrifice  of  Christ  iqyon  the  cross  is  of 
real  advantage  to  thee?  " 

"  Thus  :  that  Christ  appointed  this  external  washing 
with  water,  adding  thereto  this  promise,  that  I  am  as 
certainly  washed  by  his  blood  and  s]Mrit  from  all  the 
pollution  of  my  soul,  that  is,  from  all  my  sins,  as  I  am 


Lect.  XXXII.]      ITS   AUTHORITY  AND  DESIGN.  211 

washed  externally  with  water,  by  which  the  filthiness 
of  the  body  is  commonly  washed  away." 

"  What  is  it  to  be  tvashed  with  the  blood  and  spirit 
of  Christ  r' 

"  It  is  to  receive  of  God  the  remission  of  sins  freely, 
for  the  sake  of  Christ's  blood,  which  he  shed  for  us  by 
his  sacrifice  upon  the  cross  ;  and  also  to  be  renewed  by 
the  Holy  Ghost,  and  sanctified  to  be  members  of  Christ ; 
that  we  may  more  and  more  die  unto  sin,  and  lead  holy 
and  unblamable  lives." 

The  whole  may  be  summed  up  as  declaring  the  ac- 
ceptableness  of  believing  sinners  to  God  the  Father, 
through  the  merits  of  Jesus  Christ,  by  the  grace  of  the 
Holy  Spirit.  So  we  are  baptized  in  the  name  of  the 
Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  For, 
although  our  eternal  life  comes  from  the  Godhead,  each 
of  the  persons  constituting,  in  our  blessed  Trinity,  the 
one  God,  has  his  peculiar  office,  according  to  the  plan 
of  redemption :  the  Father  representing  the  authority 
and  honor  of  the  Godhead  ;  the  Son,  as  the  incarnate 
mediator,  making  the  atoning  provision  for  the  accept- 
ance of  his  people  ;  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  by  his  al- 
mighty energy,  applying  to  the  elect  the  benefits  pur- 
chased by  the  Son,  and  conferred  by  the  Father. 

a.  Christian  baptism  signifies  the  acceptableness  of 
believing  sinners  to  God  the  Father.  Believers  in  the 
gospel  receive  "  power  (or  the  prerogative)  to  become 
the  sons  of  God  "  (John  i.  12).  This  adopted  sonship 
is  a  restoration,  though  in  a  higher  degree,  of  the  son- 
ship  to  God  which  man  had  before  he  fell.  That  rela- 
tion he  lost  by  sin  ;  consequently,  when  his  sin  is  expi- 
ated, pardoned,  or  washed  away,  he  is  restored  to  his 
place  in  the  family  of  God.     Hence,  baptism  is  said  to 


212  BAPTISM:  [Lect.  XXXII. 

be,  or  rather  it  signifies,  [for,  strictly,  the  expression  of 
the  apostle  Paul  (Titus  iii.  5}  refers  to  the  grace,  and 
not  the  sacramental  sign,]  "  The  washing  of  regenera- 
tion, and  renewing  of  the  Holy  Ghost."  The  penitent 
is  introduced  to  a  new  life,  eternal  life,'  having  been  be- 
gotten and  born  again  by  the  power  of  God  to  be  his 
Son  ;  so  he  receives  the  washing  to  signify  the  change 
from  the  sin  which  made  him  offensive,  to  the  right- 
eousness which  makes  him  acceptable,  in  the  sight  of 
God.  All  the  advantages  of  adoption  are  promised  by 
the  adopting  act ;  so  the  church  says  in  her  baptismal 
form  :  "  When  we  are  baptized  in  the  name  of  the 
Father,  God  the  Father  witnesseth  and  sealeth  unto  us 
that  he  doth  make  an  eternal  covenant  of  grace  with 
us,  and  adopts  us  for  his  children  and  heirs,  and,  there- 
fore, will  provide  us  with  every  good  thing,  and  avert 
all  evil,  or  turn  it  to  our  good." 

h.  Christian  baptism  signifies  the  shedding  of  Christ's 
blood  in  his  one  sacrifice  on  the  cross  for  the  remission 
of  sins.  The  life  of  the  sinner,  being  forfeited  to  the 
law,  could  be  redeemed  only  by  the  life  of  Kis  surety  or 
substitute,  for  the  penalty  must  be  satisfied.  Hence, 
Christ  died  for  us  ;  and  as,  according  to  the  Scripture, 
the  blood  is  the  life  (Lev.  xvii.  11),  the  shedding  of 
his  blood  is  put  for  the  offering  of  his  life,  that  is,  for 
his  death.  Thus,  all  the  typical  sacrifices  of  atone- 
ment were  sacrifices  of  life,  for  "  without  the  shedding 
of  blood'  there  is  no  remission  "  (Heb.  ix.  22).  The 
blood  of  the  offered  victim  was,  in  the  great  sacrifice  of 
atonement,  sprinkled  upon,  the  propitiatory  or  covering 
of  the  ark  which  contained  the  broken  law,  "  for  an 
atonement,"  "  because  of  the  uncleanness  of  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel,  and  because  of  their  transgressions  in  all 


I 


Lect.  XXXII.]      ITS   AUTHORITY  AND   DESIGN.  213 

their  sins  "  (Lev.  xvi.  16).  Where  the  sacrifice  was 
for  an  individual,  tlie  blood  of  the  victim,  poured  out 
upon  the  altar,  was  specially  sj^rinkled  by  the  priest  on 
the  person  of  the  sinner.  Thus  baptism  brings  to  mind 
both  the  pouring  out  of  Christ's  blood  before  God  as  a 
propitiation  to  the  broken  law,  and  the  special  benefit 
of  that  blood  to  each  individual  penitent.  Guilt  (or 
liableness  to  punishment)  is  throughout  the  Scripture 
considered  as  defilement ;  so  the  taking  away  of  guilt 
is  aptly  expressed  by  washing,  to  represent  which,  sim- 
ple sprinkling  was  considered,  under  the  Old  Testa- 
ment, sufficient,  as  the  Reformed  churches  hold  it  to  be 
under  the  New.  From  the  sacrificial  substitution  of 
Christ  for  his  people  flow  all  the  benefits  obtained  by 
his  representative  work  ;  hence,  the  church  in  her  bap- 
tismal form  says :  "  When  we  are  baptized  in  the  name 
of  the  Son,  the  Son  sealeth  unto  us  that  he  doth  wash 
us  in  his  blood  from  all  our  sins,  incorporating  us  into 
the  fellowship  of  his  death  and  resurrection,  so  that  we 
are  freed  from  all  our  sins  and  accounted  righteous  be- 
fore God." 

c.  Christian  baptism  signifies  the  gracious  operation 
of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

As  has  been  stated,  it  is  the  doctrine  of  Scripture 
that  the  blessings  of  redemption  are  applied  to  the  soul 
by  the  personal  agency  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  Thus  the 
apostle,  speaking  of  the  whole  church,  says  :  "  By  one 
Spirit  are  we  all  baptized  into  one  body,"  i.  e.  the  body 
of  Christ  (1  Cor.  xii.  13)  ;  again  :  "  Through  him 
(Christ)  we  both  (Jews  and  Gentiles)  have  access  by 
one  Spirit  unto  the  Father"  (Eph.  ii.  18).  The  re- 
generation, by  which  the  sinner  becomes  a  child  of 
God,  is   the  work   of  the  Spirit :   "  Except  a   man   be 


214  BAPTISM  :  [Lkct.  XXXII. 

born  of  Avater  and  of  the  Spirit,  lie  cani,iot  enter  into 
the  kingdom  of  God  "  (John  iii.  5-7).  The  washing 
away  of  sins  with  the  blood  of  the  cross  is  by  the 
Holy  Spirit.  "  Ye  are  washed,  ye  are  sanctified,  ye 
are  justified  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus  and  by  the 
Spirit  of  our  God  "  (1  Cor.  vi.  11).  The  blood  of 
Christ  is  the  instrument  of  the  washing ;  the  Holy 
Spirit  is  the  agent,  or  the  washer.  The  Holy  Spirit 
seals,  or  marks  as  set  apart  or  sanctified,  to  God,  those 
who  believe.  "In  whom  (Christ),  after  that  ye  be- 
lieved, ye  were  sealed  with  that  Holy  Spirit  of  promise, 
(or  promised  Spirit,)  which  is  the  earnest  of  our  inher- 
itance "  (Eph.  i.  13,  14).  Besides  the  washing  of 
remission,  by  which  the  guilt  of  Christ's  people  is 
taken  away,  there  is  also  a  washing  away  by  the 
Spirit  of  the  pollution  which  sin  leaves  upon  the.  soul, 
ordinarily  and  technically  called  sanctification.  The 
consequence  of  this  latter  cleansing,  joined  to  the  re- 
generating, enlightening,  and  strengthening  influences 
of  the  Spirit,  is  the  production  and  gradual  but  sure 
growth  of  all  those  graces  or  virtues  of  religion  which 
constitvite  the  Christian  character,  until  it  is  complete 
in  glory  ;  which  graces  are,  therefore,  called  "  the  fruit 
of  the  Spirit  "  (Gal.  v.  22,  23).  All  these  several 
operations  of  ithe  Spirit  are  signified  in  baptism.  "  I 
indeed  baptize  you  with  water  ;  but  one  mightier  than 
I  Cometh,  the  latchet  of  whose  shoes  I  am  not  worthy 
to  imloose  ;  he  shall  baptize  you  with  the  Holy  Ghost 
and  with  fire  ;  "  fire  expressing  the  intense  energy  of 
the  Spirit  to  purify  (Luke  iii.  16).  The  baptism  of 
John  was  (imperfectly)  Christian  baptism,  because  it 
referred  to  Christ  ;  but  it  was  not  Christian  baptism 
complete  or  in  full,  fd(r  it  did  not  refer   to  the  Holy 


I 


Lect.  XXXII.]        ITS  AUTHORITY  AND  DESIGN.  215 

Ghost.     Hence  the   apostles   and  those  with   them  in 
the    chamber    of   tlie   Pentecost,    who,   doubtless,    had 
received   the  preliminary  baptism  of  John,   were  not 
baptized  again  with  water,  because  thej  had  the  bap- 
tism of  the  Holy  Spirit  itself;  but,  as  we  read  in  Acts 
xix.  1-0,  those,  who  had  received  John's  baptism  and 
not  the   Holy  Ghost,  were   baptized   again.       So   the 
apostle  Peter  said  to  the  mixed  multitude  :   "  Repent 
and  be  baptized  every  one  of  you  in  the  name  of  Jesus 
Christ,  for  the  remission  of  sins,  and  ye  shall  receive 
the  Holy  Ghost,  for  the  promise  is  unto  you  and  to 
your  children,  and  to  all  that  are  afar  off,  even  as  many 
as   the   Lord   our  God    shall   call  "  (Acts  ii.  38,  39). 
The  j)romise,  in  order  to  receive  which  they  were  to 
be  baptized,  was  that  of  the  Holy  Ghost  (compare  33d 
with  16-18)  :    "  It  shall   come   to  pass  in   those   days 
that  I  will  pour  out  my  Spirit  upon  all  flesh  "  (Joel  ii. 
28).     A  similar  promise  of  the  Spirit,  as  represented 
in  baptism,  was   given   by  Isaiah   (xliv.   3)  :    "I  will 
pour  water  upon  him  that  is  thirsty,  and  floods  upon 
the  dry  ground  ;   I  will  pour  my  Spirit  upon  thy  seed, 
and  my  blessing  upon   their  oflfspring  ;  "  and  also  by 
Ezekiel  (xxxvi.  25-27)  :   "  Then  will  I  sprinkle  clean 
water  upon  you,  and  ye  shall  be  clean  ;  from  all  your 
filthiness  and  from  all  your  idols  will  I  cleanse  you.     A 
new  heart  also  will  I  give  you,  and  a  new  spirit  will  I 
put  within  you  ;  and  I  Avill  take  away  the  stony  heart 
out  of  your  flesh,  and  I  will  give  you  an  heart  of  flesh  ; 
and  I  will  put  my  Spirit  within  you,  and  cause  you  to 
walk  in  my  statutes,  and  ye  shall  keep  my  command- 
ments and  do  them."     Thus,  in  the  application  of  the 
water  is  the  pouring  out  or  sprinkling  seen.      Hence 
the  church  in  her  baptismal  form  says:  "When  we  are 


216  BAPTISM  :  [Lect.   XXXII. 

baptized  in  tlie  name  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  the  Holy 
Ghost  assures  us  by  this  holy  sacrament,  that  he  will 
dwell  in  us,  and  sanctify  us  to  be  members  of  Christ, 
applying  unto  us  that  which  we  have  in  Christ,  namely, 
the  washing  away  of  our  sins  and  the  daily  renewing 
of  our  lives,  till  we  shall  finally  be  presented  without 
spot  or  wrinkle  among  the  assembly  of  the  elect  in  life 
eternal." 

2.  Christian  baptism  is  a  seal,  as  it  is  an  assurance 
of  certain  benefits.'  A  seal  is  added  and  attached  to 
a  written  deed,  as  an  attestation  of  the  covenant.  A 
sacrament  does  not  reveal  the  benefits  of  grace  ;  that  is 
done  by  the  word  ;  but  it  confirms  the  testimony  of 
the  word.  A  sacrament  is  not  itself  a  covenant ;  that 
is  already  made  ;  but  it  is  a  seal  or  assurance  of  the 
covenant  (twenty-fifth  Lord's  Day)  ;  thus  the  apostle, 
speaking  of  Abraham,  says  :  "  He  received  the  sign  of 
circumcision,  a  seal  of  the  righteousness  of  the  faith 
which  he  had,  yet  being  uncircumcised  "  (Rom.  iv.  11). 
The  covenant  was  made  with  him  while  yet  uncircum- 
cised ;  then  circumcision  was  added  as  a  seal  or  visible 
assurance.  But  a  seal  without  a  covenant  has  neither 
value  or  meaning;  so,  except  there  be  first  a  covenant 
with  God,  baptism,  though  externally  applied,  assures 
nothing.  It  is  a  seal  only  of  the  righteousness  of  faith. 
But  when  there  is  faith  to  apprehend  the  covenant, 
then  baptism  is  a  sure  seal  and  pledge  of  the  benefits 
covenanted.  Hence  the  Christian  disciple  in  our  Cate- 
chism, believing  the  promise  of  the  gospel  covenant, 
hesitates  not  to  say :  "  I  am  as  certainly  washed  by  the 
blood  and  Spirit  of  Christ  from  all  pollution  of  my 
soul,  that  is  from  all  my  sins,  as  I  am  washed  exter- 
nally  with   water."     So,  also,  in   the   baptismal  form. 


Lect.  XXXII.]       ITS    AUTHORITY    AND   DESIGN.  217 

the  church,  taking  for  granted  faith  in  the  covenant, 
says  :  "  Baptism  is  a  seal  and  undoubted  (rather  indu- 
bitable) testimony  that  we  have  an  eternal  covenant  of 
grace  with  God ;  "  and  in  the  thanksgiving,  after  the 
baptism  of  the  infants  of  believers,  bids  us  say  :  "  Al- 
mighty God  and  merciful  Father,  we  thank  and  praise 
thee  that  thou  hast  forgiven  us  and  our  children  all 
our  sins  through  the  blood  of  thy  beloved  Son,  Jesus 
Christ,  and  received  us  through  thy  Holy  Spirit  as 
members  of  thy  only -begotten  Son,  and  adopted  us  to 
be  thy  children,  and  sealed  and  confirmed  the  same 
unto  us  by  holy  baptism."  All  these  enumerated  bless- 
ings are  promised  unto  faith  :  if  we  have  faith,  baptism 
seals  them  unto  us  ;  if  we  have  not  faith,  we  have  no 
right  to  the  baptism,  which  supposes  a  previous  cove- 
nant ;  for,  in  such  case,  baptism  is  unmeaning  and  val- 
ueless, as  a  seal  without  an  instrument  or  deed. 

What  baptism  seals  has  been  shown  in  what  it  signi- 
fies ;  for  the  seal  and  the  sign  are  for  the  same  things. 

a.  When  we  are  baptized  in  the  name  of  the  Father, 
it  seals  to  us  our  adoption  by  God  as  his  children. 

h.  When  we  are  baptized  in -the  name  of- the  Son,  it 
seals  to  us  the  remission  of  our  sins  through  his  blood, 
c.  When  we  are  baptized  \h  the  name  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  it  seals  to  us  all  the  gracious  influences  of  the 
Holy  Spirit. 

3.  Christian  baptism  is  a  profession,  or  formal,  open 
declaration  of  the  truths  thus  signified  and  sealed. 

As  the  church  is  visible,  so  the  profession  must  be 
visible.     Thus, 

a.  The  recipient  of  baptism  openly  professes,  not 
only  his  faith  in  the  covenant  of  God  to  him,  but  his 
covenant  to  God,  that  he  will  be  (1.)  a  child  of  God  in 


218  BAPTISM:  [Lect.  XXXII. 

all  lioly  obedience  ;  (2.)  a  follower  of  Christ's  doctrine 
and  example ;  and  (3.)  a  zealous  cultivator  of  the 
Spirit's  grace,  without  which  he  is  nothing,  and  can  do 
nothing.  In  brief,  he  avows  himself  to  the  church, 
and  before  the  woi'ld,  to  be  a  Christian.  As  the 
church,  in  her  sacramental  form,  says :  "  Whereas,  in 
all  covenants,  there  are  contained  two  parts,  therefore 
are  we  by  God,  through  baptism,  admonished  of  and 
obliged  (i.  e.  put  under  obligations)  unto  new  obedi- 
ence :  namely,  that  we  cleave  to  this  one  God,  Father, 
Son,  and  Holy  Ghost ;  that  we  trust  in  him,  and  love 
him  with  all  our  hearts,  with  all  our  souls,  with  all  our 
mind,  and  with  all  our  strength  ;  that  w^e  forsake  the 
world,  crucify  our  old  nature,  and  walk  in  a  new  and 
holy  life."      This  is  our  profession  in  receiving  baptism. 

b.  The  church,  on  the  other  hand,  as  in  the  place 
of  God,  professes  unto  the  person  baptized  before  the 
world,  that  he  is  received  among  the  children  of  God, 
the  followers  of  Christ,  and  the  saints  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  —  that  is,  into  the  visible  company  of  Christian 
believers. 

Hence  baptism  has  been  universally  regarded  to  be 
the  initiatory  rite  to  the  Christian  church,  as  circum- 
cision was  the  rite  initiatory  to  the  former  covenant. 

II.  What  Christian  baptism  is  not. 

This  second  point  of  our  proposed  inquiry  may  be 
thought  to  have  been  sufficiently  met  in  discussing  the 
first ;  but  the  72d  and  73d  Questions,  with  their  An- 
swers, show  that  our  instructor  means  to  rebuke  the 
error  of  those  wdio  consider  the  outward  sacrament  of 
baptism  a  real  washing  away  of  sins  and  a  regeneration 
by  the  Holy  Ghost ;  or  (what  is  nearly  the  same  thing) 
that  the  graces  of  remission  and  regeneration  certainly 


Lect.  XXXII.]        ITS  AUTHORITY    AND  DESIGN.  219 

accompany  the  outward  sign.  That  no  one  may  so 
abuse  their  souls,  or  pervert  the  language  of  our 
church,  let  us  consider  : 

1.  That  "  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  His  Son  cleans- 
eth  us  from  all  sin,"  and  the  grace  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
alone  renews  the  soul.  The  cleansing  and  the  renewal 
are  both  spiritual  and  internal ;  nor  can  they  possibly 
be  effected  in  the  soul  by  an  outAvard  application  of 
water  to  the  body. 

2.  That  the  sacrament,  being  only  a  sign  and  a  seal, 
does  not  confer  the  blessings,  either  by  itself  or  by  ac- 
companying grace,  but  supposes  the  blessings  to  have 
been  already  conferred  by  a  covenant  ah'eady  entered 
into. 

3.  That  the  texts  of  Scripture  usually  quoted  to 
sustain  these  heterodox  opinions,  are  misinterpreted. 
Thus  : 

a.  The  text  is  cited  from  the  epistle  to  Titus  :  "  Not 
by  works  of  righteousness  which  we  have  done,  but  ac- 
cording to  his  mercy  he  saved  us,  by  the  washing 
of  regeneration,  and  renewing  of  the  Holy  Ghost 
(iii.  5).  Our  instructor  rightly  supposes  that  baptism, 
here  meant,  is  referred  to  only  as  figuratively  signify- 
ing, and,  to  the  believer,  sealing  the  grace  of  the  Holy 
Ghost ;  but  that  the  form  does  not  confer  the  grace,  is 
strongly  asserted  by  the  apostle  when  he  says  that  we 
ai-e  saved  only  according  to  the  "  mercy  "  of  God,  and 
"  not  by  works  of  righteousness  "  (by  which  tlie  usage 
of  Paul  was  to  designate  ceremonial  compliances) 
which  we   have  done  or  can   do. 

6.  The  second  text  cited  is  in  the  address  of  Ananias 
to  Saul  (Acts  xxii.  16)  :  "  Arise  and  be  baptized  and 
wash  away  thy  sins,  calling  on  the  name  of  the  Lord." 


220  BAPTISM:  [Lect.  XXXII. 

By  this  is  meant  that  he  should,  in  receiving  baptism, 
give  open  token  that  lie  believed  his  sins  to  be  washed 
away,  and  so  be  confirmed  in  his  faith  by  the  sign  and 
the  seal.  If  the  expression  be  taken  as  absolutely  lit- 
eral, he  was  commanded  to  wash  away  his  own  sins  by 
the  sacramental  waters,  —  a  stretch  of  interpretation  few 
are  willing  to  take,  as  our  sins  are  Avashed  away  only 
by  the  Holy  Ghost  with  the  blood  of  Christ,  and  as 
no  one  washes  himself  in  baptism,  but  the  recipient  is 
washed. , 

e.  Our  Lord's  words  to  Nicodemus  are  sometimes 
quoted  in  this  connection  :  "  Except  a  man  be  born  of 
water  and  the  Spirit,  he  cannot  enter  the  kingdom  of 
God."  There  are  good  doubts  whether  baptism  (out- 
ward) is  here  referred  to  at  all ;  but  assuming  that  it 
is,  there  are  two  births  spoken  of:  of  water  and  of  the 
Spirit ;  and  it  by  no  means  follows  that  he  who  is  born 
of  water  is  necessarily  born  of  the  spirit,  or  that  he 
wha  is  born  of  the  spirit  is  necessarily  born  of  water. 
He  must  be  born  of  each  and  of  both.  It  is  nowhere 
said,  that  he  who  is  born  of  water  has  certainly  entered 
the  kingdom  of  God  ;  but  it  is  everywhere  asserted, 
that  to  be  born  of  the  Spirit  is  to  enter  the  divine 
kingdom.  He  who  wilfully  refuses  to  enter  the  king- 
dom of  God  upon  earth  by  baptism,  may  wx^ll  fear 
being  refused  admission  to  the  kingdom  above  ;  but  he 
who  is  truly  born  of  the  Spirit,  is  as  truly  a  child  of 
God  and  an  heir  of  eternal  life.  One  may  be  deprived 
of  baptism  by  uncontrollable  circumstances  ;  but  if  he 
be  born  of  the  Spirit,  his  "  record  is  on  high." 

d.  One  more  text :  "  He  that  believeth  and  is  baj)- 
tized  shall  be  saved"  (Mark  xvi.  16).  This  is  not 
asserting  that  a  ba])tized  person  is  necessarily  a  believer  ; 


Lect.  XXXII.]       ITS   AUTHORITY   AND  DESIGN.  221 

on  the  contrary,  it  is  added :  "  he  that  beheveth  not 
shall  be  damned,"  i.  e.  whether  baptized  or  not.  Faith 
certainly  saves  ;  baptism  does  not,  except  it  be  received 
in  faith. 

Let  the  apostle  Peter  sum  up  the  matter :  "  Baptism 
now  doth  save  us  [not  the  putting  away  of  the  filth 
of  the  flesh  (or  the  external  cleansing'),  but  the  answer 
of  a  good  conscience  toward  God]  by  the  resurrection 
of  Jesus  Christ  "  (1  Peter  iii.  21).  Reliance  upon  any 
external  form  is  going  back  to  the  unspiritual,  self- 
righteous  supei'stition  of  the  Jews  under  the  old  law  ; 
reliance  on  the  grace  of  the  Spirit  in  the  gospel  is 
the  saving  faith  of  the  New  Testament. 

May  God  make  us  worthy  partakers  of  his  Spirit, 
and  keep  us  faithful  to  our  baptismal  obligations ! 
Amen. 


LECTURE  XXXIII. 
BAPTISM. 

No.  II. 
THE    MODE. 


TWENTY-SIXTH  AND    TWENTY-SEVENTH    LORD'S 
DAYS. 

BAPTISM. 

n.  -  THE  MODE. 

TTAVING,  in  our  former  discourse,  sliown,  First  : 
•*--*-  The  authority  for  Christian  baptism  ;  and,  Sec- 
ondly :  Its  design;  it  now  remains  for  us  to  consider, 
Thirdly  :  The  mode  of  its  administration ;  and. 
Fourthly  :  The  subjects  to  whom  it  should  be  ad- 
ministered. 

Thirdly  :  The  mode  in  which  Christian  baptism 
should  be  administered. 

We  use  the  term  mode  here  in  a  large  sense,  com- 
prising by  it  everything  connected  with  the  administra- 
tion of  the  sacrament,  not  treated  under  the  other 
heads,  as :  I.  The  administrator.  II.  The  circum- 
stances. III.  The  formula.  IV.  The  element  to  be 
used.  V.  The  manner  of  applying  it.  In  this  order, 
as  in  our  main  arrangement,  convenience  is  aimed  at 
rather  than  a  precise  succession  of  thought. 

I.  The  administrator.,  or  the  person  who  should  offi- 
ciate in  conferring  baptism. 

The  sacrament,  being  a  sign  and  seal  of  divine  grace, 
should  be  received  as  from  the  hand  of  God,  repre- 
sented by  the  officiating  person.  It  is  proper,  there- 
fore, that  so  solemn  an  act  as  affixing  a  seal  in  the 
name  of  God  should  be  performed  by  no  unaccredited 
agent ;  and  as  the  ordinance  is  intended  to  confirm  the 

VOL.    II.  15 


226  BAPTISM:    THE   MODE.  [Lect.  XXXIII. 

word  of  God,  a  belief  of  wliich  is  tlie  qualification  for 
rightly  receiving  ba])tism,  we  easily  infc'r  that  tliose 
who  are  ofiicially  authorized  to  preach  the  word  are 
the  proj)er  j)ersons  to  administer  the  confirming  sacra- 
ment. So  we  find  the  command  to  baptize  joined  by 
the  Saviour  with  the  command  to  preach  the  gospel,  in 
the  great  commission.  The  same  persons  are  directed 
to  do  both.  The  holy  apostles  were,  and  their  succes- 
sors in  the  office  of  preaching  the  gospel  are,  styled  by 
the  Holy  Ghost  "  ambassadors  for  Christ,"  as  though 
God  spake  by  them  (2  Cor.  v.  20).  They,  therefore, 
have  the  delegated  prerocrative  of  confirmino;  the  truth 
which  they  are  sent  to  proclaim.  Hence,  we  have  no 
recorded  instance  of  any  others  administeiing  baptism 
but  authorized  preachers  of  the  gospel. 

We  have  seen,  also,  that  baptism  is  tlie  open  sign  of 
admission  into  the  church  visible,  and,  therefore,  the 
reception  of  the  new  member  shoidd  be  the  act  of  one 
who  by  his  office  represents  the  church,  viz:  its  bishop, 
i.  e.,  according  to  the  language  of  Scripture,  the  presid- 
ing presbyter. 

The  question  has  been  much  vexed,  both  before  and 
after  the  Reformation,  whether  baptism  administered  in 
a  case  of  necessity  by  a  layman,  though  acknowledged  to 
be  irregular,  should  not  be  i"egarded  as  so  far  valid  that 
a  repetition  of  the  rite  would  be  imjn-oper.  The  ex- 
treme—  very  just  reluctance  felt  by  a  large  majority  of 
Christians  to  dishonor  a  sacrament,  and  the  erroneous 
supposition  of  many  that  baptism  is  necessary  to  the  as- 
surance of  salvation  —  has  led  the  greater  ))art  to  decide 
that  lay-Ijaptism  should  not  be  rt^jected.  Our  Reformed 
church  teaches  the  contrary,  both  in  her  confession  of 
fiiith  (Article  xxx.)  and  in  her  form  for  ordaining  min- 


Lect.  XXXIII]  BAPTISM:    THE  MODE.  227 

istei's  of  the  word,  where  the  office  of  administering  the 
sacraments  is  especially  ascribed  to  them.  Such  was 
the  opinion  of  the  famous  Ursinus,  the  author  of  our 
Catechism,  as  it  is  of  the  Westminster  confession,  and 
of  nearly  all  the  evangelical  denominations. 

The  personal  immorality  or  insincerity  of  the  offici- 
ator  does  not  affect  the  validity  of  the  ordinance,  if  he 
be  regularly  officiating  at  the  time,  for  the  act  is  official, 
not  personal  ;  nor  does  the  otherwise  heretical  charac- 
ter of  a  church  impair  their  baptism,  if  it  be  adminis- 
tered according  to  the  apostolical  usage,  and  with  an 
orthodox  belief  respecting  the  divine  nature  and  unity 
of  the  tlu'ee  ever-blessed  persons  named  in  conferring 
the  sacred  seal. 

II.  The  circumstances. 

Baptism  being  the  sacrament  of  admission  into  the 
visible  church,  it  is  meet  that  it  should  be  administered 
openly  before  the  assembled  church  ;  that  the  church 
may  own  and  the  baptized  person  declare  the  covenant 
between  them  and  him.  Hence,  when  the  persons 
interested  are  not  prevented  by  sickness  or  other 
causes  (not  a  false  shame,  which  is  vinbecoming  pride) 
from  attending  in  the  proper  place  of  public  worship, 
the  rite  should  be  performed  there  and  at  the  time  of 
public  worship.  But  if  it  be  performed  more  pri- 
vately, there  should  at  least  be  more  than  one  Christian 
person  present  to  constitute  a  church  ;  and  the  officiat- 
ing minister  should,  if  possible,  have  a  ruling  elder 
with  him  for  the  same  purpose,  although,  being  him- 
self both  bishop  and  presbyter,  he  may,  in  extreme 
cases,  act  alone. 

Every  care  should  be  taken  that  the  ordinance  be 
administered  with  all   the  reverence  due  in  so  solemn  a 


228  BAPTISM:  THE  MODE.  [Lect.  XXXIII. 

service,  and  attempts  to  make  it  an  occasion  of  worldly 
festivity  or  sliow  discouraged  and  forbidden. 

III.  The  formula,  or  form  of  words,  to  be  pronounced 
in  administering  the  baptism,  should  be  that  prescribed 
by  our  Lord  to  the  apostles,  without  omission,  addition, 
or  alteration.  It  were  profane  presumption  to  attempt 
any  improvement  upon  Christ's  prescription.  But  this 
does  not  forbid  proper  explanations,  vows  or  prayers 
before,  or  thanksgiving  with  exhortations  afterward, 
provided  nothing  be  introduced  that  mars  the  solemnity 
of  the  ordinance  or  its  primitive  simplicity.  The  Re- 
formed churches  here  explicitly  reject  signing  the  sub- 
ject with  the  sign  of  the  cross,  because  it  has  no  apos- 
tolical authority  ;  because  the  practice  is  derived  from  a 
superstitious  communion,  who  attribute  an  unscriptural 
and  idolatrous  virtue  to  the  use  of  that  sign  ;  and  be- 
cause, on  the  unauthorized  pretence  of  increasing  the 
impressiveness  of  the  ceremony,  it  distracts  attention 
and  reliance  from  the  simple  baptism  with  water,  as 
appointed  by  our  Lord. 

IV.  The  element  to  be  used. 

That  this  is  pure  water,  has  already  been  sufficiently 
shown  from  Scripture ;  and  so  all  the  Protestant 
churches  use  water  alone  ;  but  the  Papists  most  pro- 
fanely and  indecorously  add  oil  and  spittle  and  salt, 
which  the  Reformed  churches  protest  against  as  an 
unseemly  and  idolatrous  practice. 

V.  The  manner  of  applying  the  water. 

On  this  subject,  you  are  aware,  there  has  been  much 
controversy,  and  therefore  we  are  required  to  be  ex- 
plicit. Water  may  be  applied  to  a  person  in  three 
ways:  by  sprinkling,  by  pouring  it  upon  him,  or  by 
plunging  him  in  it.      Our  church  states  it  to  be  "  the 


Lect.  XXXIIL]  BAPTISM:   THE  MODE.  229 

dipping  in  or  sprinkling  with  water  "  ;  yet,  while  it  is 
admitted  that  baptism  by  dipping  in  is  valid,  the  prac- 
tice of  the  church  is  to  baptize  by  sprinkling,  as  equally 
valid,  and  for  many  reasons  far  preferable.  No  candi- 
date for  the  ordinance  is  forbidden  to  be  baptized  by  im- 
mersion, or  being  dipped ;  but  our  ministers  generally, 
if  not  universally,  would  decline  administering  the  or- 
dinance in  that  manner,  lest  they  should  encourage  an 
undue  scrupulousness  on  a  point  which  they  consider 
unimportant  and  contrary  to  our  well-considered,  estab- 
lished usage.  Nothing  need  be  said  of  pouring,  or  effu- 
sion, as  the  principle  is  contained  in  the  application  by 
sprinkling.  Yet,  while  thus  charitable  in  allowing 
those  who  prefer  immersion,  or  dipping,  to  follow  their 
own  method,  we  are  not  met  with  equal  consideration, 
as  a  large  and  highly  respectable  body  of  Christians 
deny  the  validity  of  any  baptism  but  immersion. 

We  justify  the  practice  of  our  church  by  several 
arguments :  1.  The  meaning  of  the  original  words 
which  are  rendered  "  baptize,"  or  "  baptism,"  by  the 
translators  of  our  Bible.  2.  The  sufficiency  of  sprink- 
ling to  signify  the  thing  intended.  3.  The  greater  con- 
venience, and,  therefore,  expediency  of  sprinkling. 

1.  The  meaning  of  the  original  words  which  are  ren- 
dered "  baptize  "  and  "  baptism." 

If  these  words  necessarily,  and  only,  mean  immer- 
sion, the  question  should  be  yielded  by  us  at  once. 
But  such  is  not  their  necessary  and  only  meaning.  The 
primitive,  or  radical  sense,  we  admit,  is  immersion  ; 
but,  like  man}'-  other  words  in  all  languages,  they  came, 
by  a  common  use  of  speech,  to  have  other  significations 
as  well  as  that  which  was  the  radical,  and  among  them 
washing,  or  the  use  of  water  for  the  purpose  of  cleans- 


230  BAPTISM:   THE  MODE.  [Lect.  XXXIII. 

ing.  Thus  the  evangelist  Mark  (vii.  1—4)  tells  us  that 
the  Pharisees  were  scandalized  at  our  Lord's  disciples 
because  they  did  not,  according  to  the  tradition  of  the 
elders,  wash  their  hands  before  eating,  i.  e.  cleanse 
them  with  water.  If,  however,  it  be  argued  that  the 
verb  here  means  immersion,  because  they  would  natu- 
rally plunge  their  hands  into  water,  how  shall  we  apply 
the  term  throughout  the  fourth  verse  ?  "  And  many 
other  things  there  be,  which  they  have  received  to  hold, 
as  the  washing  of  cups  and  pots,  brazen  vessels,  and  of 
tables."  Cups  may  be  dipped  ;  so  may  pots  and  brazen 
vessels,  if  of  a  small  size  ;  but  tables,  or,  more  correctly, 
the  couches  on  which  the  guests  reclined  around  the 
table,  were  altogether  too  large  to  be  dipped  or  plunged 
into  water,  and  it  would  be  difficult  to  imagine  how 
tiii-'y  could  have  been  cleansed  in  any  other  way  than 
hy  the  application  of  water  to  them.  Besides,  the 
washing  there  spoken  of  is  clearly  not  an  ordinary 
washing,  such  as  takes  place  in  every  cleanly  house- 
hold, but  a  ceremonial  custom  to  cleanse  from  ritual  de- 
filement the  articles  used  ;  and  we  have  seen  already 
that  such  ceremonial  cleansing  might  be  effected,  as  it 
was  in  most  cases,  by  mere  sprinkling. 

This  interpretation  is  fully  confirmed  by  the  Epistle 
to  the  Hebrews  (ix.  10-14),  where  the  ceremonial 
cleanness  is  said  to  have  ''stood  only  in  meats  and 
drinks  and  divers  ivashint/s,  and  carnal  ordinances." 
Now,  it  is  notorious  that  the  larger  part  of  those  cere- 
monial "  washings,"  or  bai)tisms,  consisted  of  sprinklings, 
or  effusions  of  water  or  of  blood.  The  writer  is  evi- 
dently speaking  comprehensively  of  all  the  lustrations  ; 
not  the  few  in  which  immersion  v/as  required,  but  the 
many  in   which  sprinkling  was    sufficient  to  represent 


Lect.  XXXIII.]  BAPTISM:   THE  MODE.  231 

washing;  for  he  goes  on  to  say:  "But  Christ,  beino- 
come  a  high  priest  of  good  things  to  come  .  .  .  nei- 
ther by  the  blood  of  goats  and  calves,  but  by  his  own 
blood,  he  entered  in  once  into  the  holy  place,  having 
obtained  eternal  redemption  for  us."  Certainly,  here 
is  a  continuation  of  reference  to  those  of  the  "  divers 
washings  "  with  blood,  which  accompanied  the  entrance 
of  the  Levitical  high  priest  to  the  Holy  of  Holies,  all 
of  which  were-  performed  by  sprinkling  ;  and  the  argu- 
ment goes  on  :  "  For  if  the  blood  of  bulls  and  of  goats, 
and  the  ashes  of  an  heifer  sprinkling  the  unclean,  sanc- 
tifieth  to  the  purifying  of  the  flesh ;  how  much  more 
shall  the  blood  of  Christ,  who,  through  the  eternal 
Spirit,  oifered  himself  without  spot  unto  God,  purge 
your  conscience  from  dead  works  to  serve  the  living 
God."  Now,  here  we  see  that  not  only  the  term  "  bap- 
tism "  includes  the  "  sprinkling "  under  the  law,  but 
that  baptism  and  sprinkling  are  used  interchangeably, 
particularly  when  cleansing  by  the  blood  of  Christ 
(which  is  signified  in  Christian  baptism)  is  spoken  of.* 
If  sprinklings  under  the  Old  Testament  are  called  bap- 
tisms, why  may  not  sprinkling  be  considered  baptism 
under  the  New  ?  This  is  all  we  contend  for,  and  the 
passage  cited  proves  it  fully.  We  may,  however,  add 
a  proof  or  two  more.  John  the  Baptist,  or  baptizer, 
says :  "  I,  indeed,  baptize  you  with  water,  but  one 
mightier  than  I  cometh  ...  he  shall  baptize  you  with 
the  Holy  Ghost  and  with  fire."  Now,  if  the  word 
baptize  be  rendered  immerse  in  the  former  part  of  the 
verse,  the  latter  clause  should  read,  "  He  shall  immerse 
you  in  the  Holy  Ghost  and  in  fire,"  which  is  not  ac- 

*  The  same  maj'  be  snid  of  the  other  two  instances   in   verse   19,  and 
verses  2i,  25,  of  same  chapter. 


232  BAPTISM:    THE   MODE.  [Lkct.  XXXIII. 

corcHnii'  to  fact.  Christ,  as  the  hiCad  of  his  church,  was 
baptized  with  the  Holy  Ghost  as  he  came  up  from  being 
baptized  with  water  by  John  ;  but  was  it  by  immersion 
into  tlie  Holy  Ghost?  On  the  contrary,  the  Holy 
Ghost  descended  in  a  bodily  shape  "  like  a  dove  (i.  e. 
with  a  flutterino;  motion  like  a  dove  when  alighting), 
and  lighting  upon  him"  (Matt.  iii.  16);  so  when  he 
himself  baptized  his  disciples  at  the  Pentecost,  we  read 
that,  "  There  came  a  ^owwA  from  heaven  as  of  a  rushing 
mighty  wind,  and  it  filled  all  the  house  where  they  were 
sitting  ;  and  there  appeared  unto  them  cloven  tongues 
like  as  of  fire,  and  it  (i.  e.  the  appearance  like  fire)  sat 
upon  each  of  them,  and  they  were  all  filled  with  the 
Holy  Ghost,  and  began  to  speak  with  other  tongues,  as 
the  Spirit  gave  them  utterance  "  (Acts  ii.  2-4).  Here 
we  see  that,  like  their  Master,  they  were  baptized,  not 
by^being  immersed  into  the  Holy  Ghost  and  the  fire, 
but  by  the  Holy  Ghosi  being  poured  out  or  descending 
upon  them,  and  in  the  form  of  fire  resting  upon  them. 
This  is  in  accordance  with  prophetic  language,  as  the 
apostle  Peter  quoted  it  at  the  time  (from  Joel  ii.  28- 
32)  :  "  It  shall  come  to  pass  in  those  days,  I  will  pour 
out  of  my  Spirit  upon  all  flesh."  The  prophet  Isaiah 
also  speaks  of  the  primary  baptism  of  Christ  as  an 
anointing  (Ixi.  1),  which  we  know  was  done  by  pour- 
ing oil  upon  the  head.  If  immersion  were  necessary 
to  baptism,  the  disciples  at  the  Pentecost  were  not  bap- 
tized with  the  Holy  Ghost,  for  the  fire  only  sat  upon 
them.  If  it  be  answered,  that  the  Holy  Ghost  "  filled 
all  the  house  where  they  were  sitting,"  we  rejoin  that  it 
was  the  sound  "  as  of  a  rushing  mighty  wind  "  that 
filled  the  place,  not  the  wind  ;  the  visible  element  of  the 
baptism  was  the  appearance  like  fire,  which  did  not  fill 


I 


Leot.  XXXIIL]  BAPTISM:   THE  MODE.  233 

the  place,  but  only  rested  in  forms  like  cloven  tongues 
of  fire.  Supernatural  fire  was,  as  you  know,  the  sign  or 
emblem  of  present  divinity  ;  and  the  expression  "  with 
the  Holy  Ghost  and  with  fire  "  is  a  Hebraistic  duplica- 
tion or  parallelism  to  express  the  same  thing,  while  the 
purifying  grace  of  the  Holy  Spirit  is  also  brought  into 
view.  If,  however,  the  immersionists  insist  upon  it 
that  the  Holy  Ghost,  like  a  wind  or  vapor,  filled  the 
house,  it  does  not  relieve  them  from  their  embarrass- 
ment, but  increases  it ;  for  to  imitate  exactly  (as  they 
say  we  should)  the  mode  of  this  baptism,  it  were  neces- 
sary, not  simply  to  immerse  the  subject,  but  to  pour 
water  upon  him  until  he  is  completely  covered  with  the 
element,  which  I  have  never  heard  of  their  doing. 

That  baptism  (the  word)  is  not  necessarily  synon- 
ymous with  immersion,  is  clear  from  1  Cor.  x.  1. 
"  Moreover,  brethren,"  the  apostle  there  says,  "... 
all  our  flithers  were  under  the  cloud,  and  all  passed 
through  the  sea  ;  and  were  all  baptized  unto  Moses  in 
the  cloud  and  in  the  sea."  As  to  the  cloud,  —  doubtless 
the  cloud  of  the  divine  presence,  —  all  we  read  in  the 
account  of  Moses  is,  that  it  removed  from  before  the 
camp  of  Israel,  and  stood  behind  it,  between  them  and 
the  Egyptians  (Ex.  xiv.  19,  20).  In  so  doing  we  may 
suppose  it  to  have  passed  over  the  host  of  Israel.  In 
Numbers  (x.  34),  we  are  told  that  it  "  was  upon  them 
by  day,"  and  (xiv.  14)  that  it  stood  "  over  them." 
Some  think  that  the  cloud  sent  forth  rain  ;  but  the  con- 
jecture is  f^ir-fetched,  for  it  was  not  a  cloud  of  moist- 
ure, being  a  pillar  of  fire  by  night ;  nor  do  the  texts, 
quoted  to  sustain  the  idea,  bear  upon  the  subject.  It 
was,  no  doubt,  like  a  thick  smoke,  hanging  over  them, 
or  befoi'e  or  behind  them  like  a  cloud.     But  will  any 


234  BAPTISM:     THE  MODE.  [Lect.  XXXIII. 

one  pretend  that  the  Israelites  were  lifted  up  and 
plunged  into  it,  which  the  immersionists  say  is  neces- 
sary to  baptism  ?  On  the  contrary,  even  if  it  envel- 
oped them,  must  it  not  have  descended  upon  them, 
which  we,  in  our  baptism,  make  the  water  do  ?  As 
"  to  the  sea,"  we  are  expressly  told  that  they  went 
through  it  dry-shod,  wet,  at  the  utmost,  merely  by  a 
sprinkling  of  spray  from  the  rolled-back  floods.  If 
being  wholly  under  water  is  necessary  to  baptism,  the 
Egyptians  only  were  baptized  ;  the  Israelites  Avere  not. 
Surely,  no  immersionist  would  consider  it  baptism  to 
pass  through  a  dry  reservoir,  or  the  dry  bed  of  a  stream 
which  once  had  been  full  of  water. 

Much  stress  has  been  laid  by  immersionists  on  that 
passage  of  the  apostle  Peter,  where  he  says,  referring 
to  the  ark  of  ISToah,  "  wherein  few,  that  is,  eight  souls, 
were  saved  by  water :  The  like  figure  whereunto,  even 
baptism,  doth  also  now  save  us  ;  (not  the  putting  away 
of  the  filth  of  the  flesh,  but  the  answer  of  a  good  con- 
science toward  God,)  by  the  resurrection  of  Jesus 
Christ  "  (1  Pet.  iii.  20,  21).  The  inference  is,  however, 
wholly  on  our  side.  How  did  the  water  save  Noah 
and  his  family  ?  By  literally  covering  them  all  over  ? 
Certainly  not ;  but  by  bearing  up  the  ark  in  which 
they  were,  so  that  the  waters  did  not  touch  them,  ex- 
cept pei'chance  in  the  descending  rain  or  the  dashing- 
spray.  The  sinners  of  the  old  world  were  so  immersed 
or  covered  with  water,  and  were  drowned  in  conse- 
quence. The  truth  is,  the  apostle  does  not  speak  of 
the  mode  at  all,  but  only  of  the  grace  signified  by 
baptism. 

This  last  remark  is  equally  applicable  to  those  pas- 
sages  which  s])eak  of  Christians    as   ];a\ing    "put  on 


LEcr.  XXXIII.]  BAPTISM:    THE   MODE.  235 

Christ  "  by  baptism  (Gal.  iii.  27)  ;  being  "  buried  with 
him  by  baptism  into  death  "  (Rom.  vi.  4),  and  rising 
witli  him  again  (Col.  ii.  12).  There  is  more  poetry 
(and  not  good  poetry  either)  than  logic  in  running 
a  fanciful  parallel  between  going  under  the  water,  to 
come  out  of  it  in  a  moment,  and  the  burial  of  Christ 
in  a  rock,  until  his  resurrection  on  the  third  day.  Dra- 
matically, death  on  a  cross  is  but  remotely  represented 
by  death  under  water.  The  scriptural  doctrine  is,  that 
the  believer  by  faith  is  united  to  Christ  as  his  represen- 
tative, and,  therefore,  is  "crucified  with  Christ,"  "risen 
with  Christ,"  "  glorified  Avith  Christ."  The  reception 
of  baj)tism  declares  his  faith,  and  seals  him  with  the 
outward  sign  of  Christ's  people,  no  matter  in  what 
manner  the  sacramental  emblem  be  applied. 

For  the  same  reason  we  regard  as  of  little  impor- 
tance the  precise  mode  in  which  baptism  was  adminis- 
tered by  John  or  the  early  ministers  of  Christ,  whether 
by  immersion  or  sprinkling.  A  mode  may  have  been 
convenient  for  them,  which  is  very  awkward,  and 
sometimes  dangerous,  for  us.  It  is  enough  that  we 
use  water  sufficiently  as  a  sign.  Yet  we  are  far  from 
admitting  that  baptism  was  then,  at  least,  al\va5^s 
administered  by  immersion.  It  is  notorious  that  the 
Greek  pi-epositions  rendered  "  ^';^to  "  and  '-^  out  of'' 
(the  water)  may  also  be  rendered  to  and  from.  Yet, 
even  were  they  confined  to  the  former  meaning,  it  does 
not  prove  that  the  subject  was  immersed  ;  as,  had  they 
been  baptized  by  sprinkling,  it  would  have  been  more 
convenient  both  for  the  administrator  and  the  subject 
to  gather  up  their  loose  garments  from  their  lower 
limbs,  and  putting  off  their  sandals,  —  the  only  cover- 
ing they  wore  on  their  feet,  —  step  a  little  way  into  the 


236  BAPTISM:     THE   MODE.  [Lect.  XXXIIT. 

water,  especially  when,  as  was  the  case  with  the  Jordan, 
the  banks  were  steep.  This  is  the  way  in  which  baptism 
is  represented  by  some  old  pictures,  and  certainly  must 
have  been  more  pleasant  in  that  M-arm  climate  than  is 
a  plunge  through  the  ice,  on  a  winter's  day,  in  ours. 
As  to  the  duty  of  following  our  Lord  into  the  water,  it 
is  a  mere  play  upon  words  ;  for  we  do  not  follow  our 
Lord  in  John's  baptism,  but  in  his  baptism  by  the  Holy 
Ghost,  which  he  received  after  coming  up  from  the 
water. 

Yet,  should  we  grant  that  John  baptized  only  by 
immersion,  it  does  not  follow  that  all  the  Christian 
baptisms  spoken  of  were  administered  in  the  same 
way. 

At  the  Pentecost  three  thousand  persons  were  bap- 
tized in  one  day,  and  that  between  the  third  and  ninth 
hours  (Acts  ii.  15  ;  iii.  1).  Can  it  be  believed  that  so 
many  were  plunged  under  water  within  six  hours,  even 
were  the  Twelve  assisted  by  the  Seventy,  of  which  we 
have  no  account  ?  We  are  told  that  John  baptized  "  in 
^non  near  to  Salim,  because  there  was  much  water 
there  "  (John  iii.  23).  Much  water  was  necessary, 
say  our  immersionists,  because  he  baptized  by  plung- 
ing ;  but  had  he  only  sprinkled  them,  a  little  water 
would  have  sufficed  for  never  so  great  a  multitude. 
But  was  there  much  water  in  Jerusalem  ?  It  was  tol- 
erably well  supplied  for  ordinary  purposes  from  cisterns 
and  a  few  pools  ;  but  is  it  probable  that  the  new  sect 
would  have  been  permitted  to  defile  all  the  water  in 
the  city  by  dipping  in  it  such  a  multitude  ?  or  that 
the  multitude,  both  men  and  women,  were  prepared 
(as  our  friends  on  the  other  side  always  take  care  to 
be)  with  dry  garments  and  even  water-proof  boots,  for 


I.ECT.  XXXIII.]  BAPTISM:    THE  MODE.  237 

the  officiating  minister,  and  convenient  places  to  change 
their  garments  after  their  plunge  ?  Baptism  by  sprink- 
ling could  have  been  administered  with  decent  solem- 
nity, but  what  indecent  confusion  must  have  resulted 
from  dipping  so  many.  Is  it  not  strange  that  we  have 
no  account  of  the  place  or  places  where  the  rite  was 
administered,  if  the  precise  mode  were  so  important  ? 

Similar  difficulties  belong  to  other  instances,  as  we 
are  not  told,  on  any  of  the  several  occasions,  where  the 
new  converts  were  or  could  have  been  plunged.  In 
the  case  of  the  Ethiopian  eunuch,  we  know  that  the 
only  water  along  his  route  through  the  desert  of  Gaza 
was  the  little  stream  now  called  Wel-Hari/,  which, 
though  it  may  have  been  swollen  during  the  rainy  sea- 
son, must  have  been,  at  the  time  he  crossed,  too  shal- 
low to  allow  the  immersion  of  a  man,  to  say  nothing  of 
the  minor,  but  really  awkward,  difficulty  attending  the 
saturation  of  his  clothes,  unless  he  was  dipped  naked,  a 
fashion  followed  by  none  in  these  days  (Acts  viii.). 
The  jailer  and  his  family  were  baptized  in  the  prison 
after  midnight,  and  could  hardly  have  been  immersed, 
unless  we  allow  our  Baptist  friends  to  put  a  tank  within 
the  walls  of  a  heathen  jail,  as  they  do  in  their  conven- 
ient churches,  for  the  purpose  of  baptism.  As  to  their 
having  gone  to  the  river  Strymon  to  baptize  them,  the 
distance  from  the  city  renders  the  supposition  absurd 
(Acts  xvi.  33).  Is  it  not  strange,  we  ask  again,  that 
the  immersionist  has  not  been  supplied  by  the  Scripture 
on  a  point  he  deems  so  momentous  ? 

What  means  Peter's  question,  when  about  to  baptize 
the  household  and  friends  of  Cornelius :  "  Can  any 
man  forbid  water  that  these  should  not  be  baptized  ?  " 
(Acts  X.  47.)     Is  he  not  asking  that  water  should  be 


238  BAPTISM:    THE   MODE.  [Lect.  XXXIIl. 

brought  in  for  the  purpose  ?  Would  not  an  inimersion- 
ist  liave  said  :  "  Can  any  man  forbid  that  we  should  go 
to  the  water  and  baptize  them  ?  " 

But  enough  of  this.  The  thing  is  too  puerile  for  the 
gravity  of  a  Christian  pulpit ;  and  the  discussion  can 
be  tolerated  only  because  some  good  people  have  been 
strangely  led  into  troubles  of  conscience  on  the  subject. 

2,  The  sufficiency  of  sprinkling  to  signify  the  thing 
intended. 

For  this  we  have  the  highest  authority  in  Scripture. 
Baptism  will,  I  trust,  be  acknowledged  a  symbolical 
washing  or  cleansing.  Such  symbolical  cleansing  was 
always,  under  the  Old  Testament,  ordered  to  be  per- 
formed by  sprinkling.  I  do  not  quote,  because  the  cita- 
tions would  be  innumerable.  There  is  not  a  single 
instance  of  any  person  being  required  to  be  immersed 
throughout  the  whole  of  the  older  Scriptures,  except 
Naaman,  who  was  neither  a  Jew  nor  a  proselyte.  The 
priests,  before  entering  upon  the  special  solemnities  of 
the  temple,  were  ordered  to  wash  themselves  thoroughly ; 
but  that  was  for  personal  cleanliness  rather  than  a  sym- 
bolical purification,  else  they  would  have  been  baptized 
often  in  a  year.  All  the  ceremonial  cleansings  were 
performed  in  our  way.  Great  stress  is  laid  by  some 
upon  the  Jewish  mode  of  baptizing  proselytes,  which 
was  by  ijnmersion  ;  but  we  deny  that  they  had  any  di- 
vine authority  for  it.  The  Rabbins  cite  for  the  purpose 
Jacob's  direction  to  his  proselyted  household :  "  Put 
away  the  strange  gods  that  are  among  you,  and  be 
clean,  and  change  your  garments  "  (Gen.  xxxv.  2)  ; 
and  that  of  Moses  to  the  Israelites,  that  they  should 
"  wash  their  clothes  "  (Ex.  xix.  10)  ;  but  neither  of 
these  orders  the  immersion  of  their  bodies.     A  third 


Lect.  XXXIIL]  BAPTISM:    THE   MODE.  239 

text  they  quote  is  one  where  the  people  were  sprinkled 
(Ex.  xxiv.  8),  and  that  with  blood.  Shall  we  allow  a 
tradition  of  pharisaical  elders  to  bind  the  free  church 
of  God  ? 

The  Psalmist  says :  "  Purge  me  with  hyssop,  and  I 
shall  be  clean  ;  wash  me,  and  I  shall  be  whiter  than 
snow  "  (li.  7).  Here,  according  to  Hebrew  parallel- 
ism, the  idea  of  the  first  clause  is  repeated  in  the  sec- 
ond ;  and  he  asserts  that  if  purged  with  hyssop  he 
would  be  thoroughly  cleansed.  But  how  was  purifica- 
tion by  hyssop  performed  ?  It  was  used  in  apyjlying 
the  blood  of  the  paschal  lamb  to  the  lintels  of  the  door- 
post. "  Ye  shall  take  a  bunch  of  hyssop,  and  dip  it  in 
the  blood  that  is  in  the  basin,  and  strike  the  lintel  and 
the  two  side-posts  with  the  blood  ..."  (Ex.  xii.  22); 
in  the  purification  of  a  restored  leper  (Lev,  xiv.  6,  7), 
and  of  a  house  that  had  had  the  plague  (51)  ;  in  the 
preparing  of  the  water  of  separation  (Num.  xix.  6-21)  ; 
and  in  each  of  these  cases,  that  is  to  say,  whenever  hys- 
sop was  used,  sprinkling  was  the  method  of  application  ; 
so  that  a  thorough  cleansing  was  symbolized  to  the 
Psalmist's  mind  by  sprinkling.  In  the  Epistle  to  the 
Hebrews  (ix.  18-22)  we  read  that  Moses  "  took  the 
blood  of  calves,  and  of  goats,  with  Avater,  and  scarlet 
wool,  and  hyssop,  and  sprinkled  both  the  book  and  all 
the  people,  saying,  This  is  the  blood  of  the  testament 
(or  covenant)  which  God  hath  enjoined  unto  you." 
If  sprinkling  were  sufficient  to  signify  the  application 
of  the  blood  of  the  Old  Testament,  is  it  not  enough  to 
signify  that  of  the  New  ?  And,  again,  referring  to  the 
ceremonies  of  the  high  priest  on  the  day  of  interces- 
sion, the  writer  of  the  same  epistle'  says  :  "  Let  us 
draw  near  with  a  true  heart,  in  full  assurance  of  faith, 


240  BAPTISM:    THE   MODE.  [Lect.  XXXIIl. 

having  our  hearts  sprinkled  from  an  evil  conscience, 
and  our  bodies  washed  (not  dipped,  mark  you)  with 
pure  water  "  (x.  22).  The  washing  here  is  certainly 
baptism,  argues  the  immersionist.  Grant  that  it  be  so  ; 
then  to  haptlze  means  to  wash.  But,  in  fact,  there  is  a 
parallelism  here  between  the  purification  of  the  sinner's 
conscience  and  the  sanctification  of  the  outward  person, 
bv  which  we  should  understand,  according  to  a  New 
Testament  idiom,  the  conduct  of  our  lives  (Rom.  xii. 
1 ;  1  Cor.  vi.  20).  If  sprinkling  be  sufficient  to  signify 
the  thorough  pui'ifying  of  the  conscience,  it  is  enough 
to  signif}'  the  washing  of  the  body.  So,  again,  we 
read  (Heb.  xii.  24)  that  we  are  come  "  to  Jesus,  the 
mediator  of  the  new  covenant,  and  to  the  blood  of 
sprinkling,  which  speaketh  better  things  than  that  of 
Abel  "  ;  and  the  apostle  Peter  (1  Pet.  1,  2)  speaks  of 
the  saints  as  elect,  unto  "  the  sprinkling  of  the  blood 
of  Jesus  Christ." 

This  is  in  accordance  with  the  language  of  prophecy  : 
"  Then  will  I  sprinkle  clean  water  upon  you,  and  ye 
shall  be  clean  (If  God  says  that  we  may  be  made  clean 
by  sprinkling,  does  it  not  savor  of  impiety  to  deny  it  ?) 
from  all  your  filthiness,  and  from  all  your  idols,  will  I 
cleanse  you  (?'.  e.  by  sprinkling  clean  water  upon  them)  ; 
a  new  heart  also  will  I  give  you,  and  a  new  spirit  will  I 
put  within  you  ;  and  I  will  take  away  the  stony  heart 
out  of  your  flesh,  and  I  will  give  you  an  heart  of  flesh  " 
(Ezek.  xxxvi.  25,  2(J).  Here  is  everything  signified  in 
baptism  represented  by  sprinkling.  Are  wo  too  bold  in 
claiming  the  text  as  a  literal  })rophecy  of  Christian  bap- 
tism administered  after  the  proper  mode  ?  The  prophet 
Isaiah  (lii.  15)  also  says  of  the  Messiah  :  "•  So  shall  he 
sprinkle  many  nations,"   alluding  to  the  blessings  of 


Lect.  XXXIII.]  BAPTISM:    THE  MODE.  241 

salvation,  as  represented  in  baptism ;  and  it  is  remark- 
able that  the  Ethiopian  probably  read  this  text  jnst 
before  he  was  baptized,  as  he  asked  Philip  to  explain 
the  seventh  verse  after  it.  In  another  place,  the  same 
prophet  says  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  :  "  I  will  pour 
water  upon  him  that  is  thirsty,  and  floods  upon  the  dry 
ground  "  (xliv.  3)  ;  that  is,  he  will  rain  down  his  bless- 
ings as  from  a  full,  over-hanging  cloud.  Thus,  you  see, 
whenever  the  blessings  of  salvation  are  spoken  of  in 
the  Old  or  New  Testament,  wliether  tyj^icully,  prophet- 
ically, or  figuratively,  they  are  said  to  be  conferred  by 
the  symbolical  act  of  sprinkling,  or,  in  a  few  places, 
pouring.  We  may  challenge  the  immersionists  to  bring 
an  instance  of  its  being  represented  by  plunging,  except, 
perchance,  the  somewhat  doubtful  reference  of  the 
pool  of  Bethesda.  The  figure  of  a  "fountain  opened," 
employed  by  Zechariah  (xiii.  1),  does  not  necessarily 
imply  plunging,  as  one  may  wash  at  a  fountain  without 
going  in  it  all  over.  According  to  the  unanimous  lan- 
guage of  the  sacred  writers,  sprinkling  is  not  oidy  sig- 
nificant, but  by  far  the  most  significant  mode  of  rep- 
resenting in  baptism  the  blessings  of  salvation  ;  nor  is 
it  consistent  with  Christian  simplicity  to  force  upon  the 
church  a  form  derived  from  the  unauthorized  traditions 
of  the  Jewish  elders,  the  only  source  to  which  we  can 
trace  baptism  by  dipping.  We  are  too  charitable  to 
deny  that  baptism  by  immersion  is  valid,  inasmuch  as 
water  is  used  for  the  symbol ;  but  we  insist  upon  being 
permitted  to  follow  "a  more  excellent  way." 

3.  The  greater  convenience,  and,  therefore,  expedi- 
ency of  sprinkling. 

The  greater  convenience  of  our  mode  is  so  obvious, 
that  I   need   not   argue   on   it.      Indeed,   our   Baptist 

VOL.  n.  16 


242  BAPTISM:   THE   MODE.  [Lect.  XXXIII. 

brethren  do  not  liesitate  to  consider  immersion  a  cross, 
and  reproach  us  for  not  being  willing  to  bear  it.  But 
we  believe  that  we  are  called  unto  liberty,  and  that 
the  cross  of  the  Christian  life  lies  in  the  self-denying 
practice  of  Christian  virtues,  —  not  in  bodily  exercises, 
which  profit  nothing,  while  they  are  apt  to  puff  up 
with  pride. 

Therefore  we  practise,  as  most  expedient  and  most 
consonant  with  the  merciful  character  of  the  gospel, 
that  method  which  is  least  trying  to  the  health  and 
modesty  of  administrator  and  subject,  which  may  be 
practised  at  all  times  and  in  all  countries,  and  with  the 
most  decency  and  ease,  and  which,  above  all,  is  the 
very  method  which  a  crowd  of  Scriptures  recommend. 


LECTURE  XXXIV. 

BAPTISM. 

No.  3. 
THE    SUBJECTS. 


TWENTY-SIXTH  AND   TWENTY-SEVENTH   LORD'S 

DAYS. 

BAPTISM. 

m.  — THE    SUBJECTS. 

TT  remains  for  us  to  treat  of,  Fourthly  :  The  sub- 
-*-  jects  to  whom  Christian  baptism  should  be  admin- 
istered. 

From  what  has  been  said  respecting  the  authority 
and  design  of  this  sacrament,  it  is  clear  that  it  should 
be  administered  to  all  adult  believers  who  have  not 
previously  received  the  holy  ordinance  ;  but  our  church 
goes  farther,  and  requires  that  the  infant  offspring  of 
believers  should  also  be  baptized.  This  we  hold  in 
common  with  all  Christians  who  practised  baptism 
until  comparatively  modern  times,  and  with  the  vast 
majority  of  Christians  now. 

The  usage  of  infant  baptism  may  be  distinctly  traced 
in  Christian  writers  from  the  close  of  the  apostolic  age 
all  the  way  down.  Justin  Martyr,  who  wrbte  his 
"Apology  "  about  the  middle  of  the  second  century  after 
Christ,  and  when  he  must  have  been  about  fifty  years 
old,  speaking  of  those  who  belonged  to  the  Christian 
church,  says  that  among  them  were  some  "  who  had 
been  made  disciples  of  Christ  from  their  childhood." 
The  term  which  he  employs  to  signify  their  being  dis- 
cipled,  is  precisely  that  which  we  find  in  the  original 
of  our  Lord's  command  to  his  apostles  :  "  Go  ye,  there- 
fore, and  teach  all  nations,"  i.  e.  make  disciples  of  all 
nations,  "  baptizing  them  "  (Matt,  xxviii.  19)  ;  and  as 


246  BAPTISM:    THE   SUBJECTS.       [Lect.  XXXIV. 

the  method  prescribed  was  to  baptize  those  who  were 
discipled,  we  may  safely  understand  Justin  as  asserting 
that  the  httle  children  were  baptized.  Irengeus,  the 
disciple  of  Polycarp,  who  was  a  disciple  of  the  apostle 
John,  writing  nearly  at  the  same  time  with  Justin 
Martyr,  says  :  "  Christ  came  to  save  all  who  through 
him  are  re-born  into  God,  —  infants,  and  little  ones,  and 
cliildren,  and  youths,  and  older  people."  The  expres- 
sion "  re-born  into  God,"  without  doubt  was  meant 
by  him  to  signify  baptized,  such  being  his  habit  of 
language.  Tertullian,  about  two  hundred  years  after 
Christ,  had  some  erroneous  notions  respecting  the  pe- 
culiar enormity  of  sins  committed  after  baptism  ;  and 
advises  that  infants,  if  they  are  likely  to  die,  should  be 
baptized,  but  otherwise  that  baptism  should  be  dekxyed 
until  as  late  a  period  of  life  as  possible.  In  this  opin- 
ion, it  is  evident  from  what  he  says  himself,  that  he 
differed  from  his  fellow-Christians  generally,  who  prac- 
tised infant  baptism.  Origen,  in  the  former  part  of  the 
third  century,  tells  us,  that  the  church  "  derived  an 
order  from  the  apostles  to  baptize  infants  ";  and  again  : 
"  According  to  the  custom  of  the  church,  baptism  is 
administered  to  infants,  who  would  not  need  the  grace 
of  baptism,  if  there  was  nothing  in  them  that  needed 
forgiveness  and  mercy."  Cyprian,  a  contemporary  of 
Origen,  states  that  at  a  council,  held  in  Carthage,  A.D. 
253,  of  sixty-six  bishops  or  pastors  of  churches,  one 
of  their  number  proposed  the  question  :  Whether  or 
not  a  child  might  be  baptized  before  the  eighth  day 
after  its  birth,  which  was  the  time  prescribed  for  cir- 
cumcision ?  And  the  unanimous  answer  of  the  coun- 
cil was,  "  that  the  mercy  and  grace  of  God  is  to  be 
withheld  from   no   luunan   being  born  ;   .   .   .   that  we 


Lect.  XXXIV.]        BAPTISM:    THE  SUBJECTS.  247 

ought  not  to  debar  any  person  from  baptism  and  the 
grace  of  God,  who  is  merciful  and  good  to  us  all ;  and 
this  rule,  as  it  holds  good  for  all,  we  think  more  espe- 
cially to  be  observed  in  reference  to  infants,  even  to 
those  newly  born."  Surely,  as  Lord  Chancellor  King 
observes,  "  the  unanimous  voice  of  a  synod,  in  such 
circumstances,  denotes  the  common  practice  and  usage 
of  the  church."  Chrysostom,  toward  the  close  of  the 
fourth  century,  speaking  of  circumcision,  says  :  "  Our 
circumcision,  I  mean  the  grace  of  baptism,  cures  with- 
out pain,  and  procures  for  us  a  thousand  benefits,  and 
fills  us  with  the  grace  of  the  Spirit  ;  and  it  has  no  fixed 
time,  as  circumcision  had  ;  but  one  that  is  in  the  begin- 
ning of  his  age,  or  one  in  the  middle  of  it,  or  one  that 
is  in  old  age,  may  receive  this  circumcision  without 
hands."  Augustine,  toward  the  begiiuiing  of  the  fifth 
century,  says  :  "  The  whole  church  practises  infant 
baptism.  It  was  not  instituted  by  councils,  but  was 
always  in  use."  Writing  against  the  Pelagians,  one  of 
his  most  strenuous  arguments  is,  that  inflints  would  not 
be  baptized  if  they  had  no  sin."  "  They  (the  Pela- 
gians) grant  that  infants  must  be  baptized,  not  being 
able  to  resist  the  authority  of  the  wliole  church,  which 
was,  doubtless,  delivered  by  our  Lord  and  his  apostles." 
In  another  ])lace,  speaking  of  the  proper  persons  to 
offer  the  children  for  baptism,  who  he  thinks  are  the 
parents,  if  they  be  pious,  he  speaks  with  approbation  of 
those  Christians  who  presented  the  infants  of  tl'ieir 
slaves,  or  foundlings,  or  orphans.  Similar  declarations 
are  frequent  in  his  works.  Pelagius,  his  great  oppo- 
nent, a  native  of  Britain,  who  had  travelled  through 
southern  Europe  to  Africa  and  Jerusalem,  exclaims  in- 
dignantly: "  Men  slander  me  by  the  charge  that  I  deny 


248  BAPTISM:    THE   SUBJECTS.        [Lect.  XXXIV. 

baptism  to  infants."  "I  never  heard  of  any  one,  not 
the  most  impious  heretic,  who  denied  bai)tism  to  in- 
fants ;  for  who  can  be  so  impious  as  to  hinder  infants 
from  being  baptized,  and  so  born  again  in  Christ,  and 
thus  make  them  miss  of  the  kingdom  of  God  ?  "  Many 
other  testimonies  might  be  added  ;  but  let  it  suffice  to 
say  tliat  no  fact  in  the  history  of  the  first  four  Chi'is- 
tian  centuries  is  more  firmly  established  than  the  uni- 
versal practice  of  infant  baptism,  except  by  a  few,  who 
postponed  it  like  Tertullian  for  the  reason  given,  or 
still  fewer  (of  any  deserving  at  all  the  name  of  Chris- 
tian), who  thought  water-baptism  useless. 

From  the  time  of  Augustine  downwards,  there  is  not 
the  slightest  trace  of  an  individual,  inuch  less  of  a  sect, 
who  denied  infant  baptism  until  the  year  A.  D.  1120, 
when  Peter  de  Bruis,  one  of  the  Waldenses,  preached 
against  it ;  but  his  followers,  called  after  him  Petro- 
brussians,  were  very  few,  and  disowned  by  all  the  rest 
of  that  pious  people,  who,  preserving  amidst  their  moun- 
tains the  faith  derived  through  their  ancestors  from 
apostles,  practised,  as  they  practise  now,  this  edifying 
rite  of  the  Christian  church. 

So  all  the  churches  of  the  Reformation,  though  in- 
tent more  or  less  upon  stripping  themselves  of  the  cor- 
ruptions which  had  obtained  through  popery,  luiani- 
mously  consented,  as  they  now^  consent,  to  the  propri- 
ety and  authority  of  infant  baptism,  with  the  exception 
of  the  sect  calling  themselves  rather  arrogantly  Baptists, 
originally  known  .as  Anabaptists  (from  their  re-bap- 
tizing such  as  had  been  baptized  when  infants,  or  had 
been  sprinkled),  which  arose  amidst  much  extravagant 
fanaticism   in  the  begiiming  of  the  sixteenth  century. 

Here,  then,  we  have  the  opinion  of  the  whole  Chris- 


Lect.  XXXIV.]  BAPTISII:    THE   SUBJECTS.  249 

tian  world  from  the  apostolic  age,  both  before  and  after 
the  Reformation,  —  the  Baptists  excepted,  who  only 
within  a  few  years  liave  attained  any  considerable  num- 
bers, on  the  side  of  infant  baptism.  Our  opponents  can- 
not show  us  the  slightest  evidence  that  the  practice  was 
introduced  at  any  time,  though,  had  it  been  an  innova- 
tion, it  would  have  been  noted,  and  must  have  caused 
discussion.  The  utter  absence  of  all  proof,  or  even 
surmise  to  the  contrary,  indicates  that  it  has  come  to  us 
from  the  ajjostles  themselves.  Besides,  as  has  been 
urged,  and  in  my  judgment  with  irresistible  force,  the 
ordinance  of  baptism  must  have  been,  according  to  the 
views  of  our  (so-called)  Baptist  friends,  entirely  lost. 
For,  if  no  one  is  a  member  of  the  visible  church  unless 
baptized  by  immersion  at  an  adult  age,  and  consequently 
no  one  not  so  baptized  can  administer  baptism,  there 
w^ere  no  legitimately  baptized  persons  at  the  tim'e  the 
Anabaptists  arose,  nor  had  there  been  during  many 
centuries  before. 

But  .we  readily  admit  as  sound  the  Protestant  rule  of 
acknowledging  no  evidence  sufficient  to  establisli  a  rule 
of  Christian  faith  or  practice  except  that  of  holy  Scrip- 
ture. What  we  have  adduced  from  uninspired  eccle- 
siastical history,  though  strongly  corroborative  of  our 
practice,  has  been  rather  introductory  to  our  argument 
than  part  of  it  ;  and  now  we  follow  our  Catechist  to 
the  word  of  God. 

"  Quest.  74.     Are  infants  also  to  be  baptized  ? 

"  Ans.  Yes  ;  for  since  they,  as  well  as  adults,  are  in- 
cluded in  the  covenant  and  church  of  God,  and  since 
redemption  from  sin  by  the  blood  of  Christ,  and  the 
Holy  Ghost,  the  author  of  faith,  is  promised  to  them  no 
less  than  to  the  adult,  they  must,  therefore,  by  baptism, 


250  BAPTISM:   THE  SUBJECTS.       [Lect.  XXXIV 

as  a  sign  of  the  covenant,  be  also  admitted  into  the 
Christian  chnrch,  and  be  distinguished  from  the  chil- 
dren of  infidels  ;  as  was  done  in  the  old  covenant,  or 
testament,  by  circumcision,  instead  of  which  baptism  i^ 
instituted  in  the  new  covenant." 

So,  also,  in  the  form  for  the  administration  of  bap- 
tism, the  church  says  :  — 

"  Although  our  young  children  do  not  understand 
these  things,  we  may  not,  therefore,  exclude  them  from 
baptism,  for  as  they  are  without  their  knowledge  par- 
takers of  the  condemnation  in  Adam,  so  are  they  again 
received  xmto  grace  in  Christ ;  as  God  speaketh  unto 
Abraham,  the  father  of  all  the  faithful,  and,  therefore, 
unto  us  and  our  children  (Gen.  xvii.  7),  saying:  'I 
will  establish  my  covenant  between  me  and  thee,  and 
thy  seed  after  thee,  in  their  generations,  for  an  ever- 
lasting covenant,  to  be  a  God  unto  thee,  and  to  thy 
seed  after  thee.'  This,  also,  the  apostle  Peter  testifieth 
with  these  words  (Acts  ii.  39)  :  '  For  the  promise  is 
unto  you,  and  to  your  children,  and  to  all  that  are  afar 
oflp,  even  as  many  as  the  Lord  our  God  shall  call.' 
Therefore,  God  formerly  commanded  them  to  be  cir- 
cumcised, which  was  a  seal  of  the  covenant,  and  of  the 
righteousness  of  faith  ;  and,  therefore,  Christ  also  em- 
braced them,  laid  his  hands  upon  them,  and  blessed 
them  (Mark  x.  G).  Since,  then,  baptism  is  come  in 
the  place  of  circumcision  ;  therefore,  infants  are  to  be 
baptized  as  heirs  of  the  kingdom  of  God  and  of  his 
covenant." 

Here  are  the  principal  arguments  for  infant  baptism 
distinctly  stated,  and  we  shall  consider  them,  following 
the  order  of  the  Catechism. 

The  infants  of  believers  should  be  ba])tized  :  1.  Be- 


Lect.  XXXIV.]        BAPTISM:    THE  SUBJECTS.  251 

cause  they  are  included  by  the  covenant  which  God 
through  Christ  makes  with  his  people.  2.  Because 
they  are  of  right  members  of  the  church  on  earth.  3. 
Because  the  promises  of  the  gospel  extend  to  them. 
4.  Because  it  is  proper  that  they  should  be  openly  dis- 
tinguished, as  the  children  of  the  covenanted  church, 
from  the  children  of  unbelievers.  5.  Because  baptism, 
having  come  in  the  place  of  circumcision,  is  the  author- 
ized method  of  marking  such  distinction. 

1.  The  infants  of  believers  should  be  baptized,  be- 
cause they  are  covered  by  the  covenant  which  God 
through  Christ  makes  with  his  people. 

The  strongest,  purest,  and  most  lasting  affection 
which  God  has  planted  in  the  human  heart  is  that  of 
the  parent  for  the  child.  Passion  and  expected  reci- 
procities of  benefits  mingle  with  the  love  of  husband 
and  wife  ;  marriage  is  a  contract  between  the  espousing 
parties.  Community  of  interest  and  habits  of  close  as- 
sociation bind  together  brothers  and  sisters  of  the  same 
family,  the  bond  being  often  greatly  weakened  when 
they  go  forth  into  their  separate  walks  of  life.  Chil- 
dren are  trained  to  love  their  parents  by  a  consciousness 
of  dependence  and  gratitude  for  kindness  received  from 
them.  But  parental  love  is  conceived  and  born  with 
the  child.  The  father,  the  mother,  love  their  offspring 
as  part,  nay,  as  a  dearer  part,  of  themselves.  Their 
regard  is  given,  not  indeed  without  hopes  of  their  own 
happiness  from  their  child's  happiness  and  duty,  but 
without  bargain,  or  stipulation,  or  requisition  of  pled<''es. 
It  is  free,  liberal,  unselfish, — an  animal  instinct  digni- 
fied to  a  high  and  noble  affection  by  a  rational  sense  of 
obligation,  the  exercise  of  which  is  itself  a  delio-lit :  so 
that  the  parents  live  for  the  child,  preferi'ing  its  health, 


252  BAPTISM:   THE   SUBJECTS.         [Lect.  XXXIV. 

prosperity,  and  honor  to  their  own  ease  or  fortunes. 
Friendship  may  he  turned  into  hate  ;  the  love  of  hus- 
band and  wife  may  decay  and  cease ;  brothers  and  sis- 
ters may  be  estranged  or  quarrel  ;  children  may  forget 
and  requite  with  ill  the  parents  who  nurtured  them  up 
to  adult  years  ;  but  for  a  parent  to  forget,  to  call  back 
love,  or  the  fruits  of  love,  from  a  child,  is  a  thing 
deemed  of  all  things  the  most  unnatural,  a  moral  insan- 
ity, showing  a  monstrous  departure  from  the  due  course 
of  the  human  heart. 

The  reason  why  God  has  given  such  great  strength 
to  this  affection  is  seen  in  the  difficulty  and  importance 
of  the  duties  which  devolve  upon  parents.  But  for 
their  constant,  watchful,  patient,  tender  care,  the  babe 
would  perish  ;  or,  if  nursed  only  through  the  helpless- 
ness of  infancy,  would  seldom  reach  mature  age 
through  the  inexperience  of  childhood  and  the  novel 
temptations  which  throng  upon  the  youth.  Nothing 
short  of  the  strongest  love  could  secure  even  the  physi- 
cal nurture  of  their  offspring  ;  much  more  is  it  neces- 
sary for  the  mental  and  moral  training  which  they 
need.  It  is  the  wise,  fixed  arrangement  of  Providence 
that  parents  should  stand  between  God  and  their  seed, 
as  his  agents  to  provide  for  their  well-being  in  both 
these  respects.  Our  heavenly  father  has  proceeded 
upon  this  principle  in  all  his  dealings  with  our  race, 
making  parental  affection  an  argument  for  ))arental 
fidelity,  encouraging  it  by  promises,  and  alarming  it  by 
threats.  How  true  this  was  of  the  first  covenant  he 
made  with  man,  the  melancholy  consequences  of  our 
first  parents'  sin  but  too  plainly  declare  ;  and  it  were 
strange  indeed  if  children  could  be  so  deeply  concerned 
with  the  fall  of  Adam,  and  yet  no  provision  be  mad^ 


Lect.  XXXIV.]         BAPTISM:   THE   SUBJECTS.  253 

for  their  uprising  with  Christ.  Their  representation 
before  their  birth,  in  their  primal  ancestor,  establishes 
beyond  doubt  the  law  of  such  representation  in  subse- 
quent stages  of  our  human  history,  tiiough,  for  obvious 
reasons,  not  to  the  same  extent.  No  one  doubts  that  in 
the  affairs  of  this  life,  children  suffer  or  are  advantaged 
by  their 'parents'  conduct;  and,  in  the  order  of  civil 
society,  the  parent  is  ever  recognized  as  the  representa- 
tive of  his  child  until  it  is  of  age  to  assume  its  own  re- 
sponsibility. Thus  God  declares,  that  he  is  "  a  jealous 
God,  visiting  the  iniquity  of  the  fathers  ui)on  the  chil- 
dren unto  the  third  and  fourth  generation  of  them  that 
hate  him";  but,  also,  that  "his  righteousness  is  unto 
children's  children,  to  such  as  keep  his  covenant  and 
remember  his  commandments  to  do  them."  Hence  we 
find  that  parental  anxiety  has  been  assuaged,  and  pa- 
rental responsibility  enforced  by  every  covenant  made 
with  man  under  the  system  of  grace.  The  first  revela- 
tion of  mercy  at  the  very  gates  of  the  lost  paradise  was 
to  the  parents  through  their  seed,  when  God  said  in 
their  hearing  to  the  serpent-tempter  :  "  I  will  put  en- 
mity between  thee  and  the  woman,  and  between  thy 
seed  and  her  seed  ;  it  shall  bruise  thy  head,  and  thou 
shalt  bruise  his  heel,"  —  a  prophecy  fulfilled  in  the  tri- 
umphant passion  of  Christ,  the  son  of  a  virgin  ;  nor 
could  the  believers  of  that  promise  offer  a  sacrifice  in 
faith  without  including  the  offspring  through  whom  the 
deliverer  was  to  come. 

So  in  the  covenant  with  Noah,  after  the  deluge,  God 
expressly  declared :  "  Behold,  I  establish  my  covenant 
with  thee  and  with  thy  seed."  To  Abraham  he  said  ; 
"  Behold,  my  covenant  is  with  thee  ....  Behold,  I 
establish  my  covenant  with  thee,  and  with  thy  seed  after 


254  BAPTISM:  THE  SUBJECTS.        [Lect.  XXXIV 

thee.''  Nay,  to  show  that  this  covenant  included  his 
seed  from  their  early  infancy,  he  appointed  the  sacra- 
ment of  circumcision  to  be  performed  when  the  chil- 
dren were  but  eight  days  old.  In  this  sense  God  con- 
tinued to  declare  himself  as  the  God  of  Israel,  declar- 
ing the  whole  nation  to  be  "  his  people  "  ;  and  upon 
one  remarkable  occasion  Moses  required  not  only  the 
men  of  Israel  but  their  wives  and  their  little  ones  to 
stand  before  the  Lord  "  and  enter  into  covenant  with 
the  Lord  their  God,  and  into  his  oath,  which  the  Lord 
their  God  made  with  them  that  day  "  (Deut.  xxix. 
10-15).  Such  was  the  faith  and  practice  of  the  an- 
cient believers  up  to  the  time  when  the  descent  of  the 
Holy  Ghost  at  the  Pentecost  confirmed  the  church  of 
Christ.  Can  we  be  made  to  believe  that  this  gospel 
was  less  mercifid  to  parental  hearts  than  the  older  dis- 
pensation, and  that  they  were  refused  the  highly  val- 
ued privilege,  enjoyed  by  believers  in  all  previous  times, 
of  dedicating  their  offspring  openly  to  the  Lord  ?  No ; 
for  the  apostle  Peter,  in  the  very  hour  when  the  spirit 
of  God  came  down,  proclaimed  that  the  promise  was 
unto  them  and  their  children,  and  to  them  that  was 
afar  off,  even  to  as  many  as  the  Lord  our  God  should 
call.  So  we  read  that  the  angel  of  the  Lord  com- 
manded Cornelius,  the  Gentile  centurion,  to  send  to 
Joppa  for  Peter,  who  should  tell  him  words  whereby 
he  and  all  his  house  should  be  saved  (Acts  xi.  13,  14); 
and  Paul,  in  his  exhortation  to  the  jailer,  said  :  "  Be- 
lieve in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  and  thou  shalt  be  saved, 
and  thy  house."  The  same  apostle  also  declares,  when 
speaking  of  those  believers  who  were  married  to  hea- 
then :  "  The  unbelieving  husband  is  sanctified  by  the 
believing   wife,  and  the  unbelieving  wife    by  the  hus- 


Lect.  XXXIV.]        BAPTISM:   THE   SUBJECTS.  255 

band,  else  were  your  children  unclean,  but  now  are 
they  holy  "  (1  Cor.  vii.  14).  Holy  does  not,  we  admit, 
in  this  passage  signify  personal  freedom  from  sin,  but 
fitness  to  be  dedicated  to  God  ;  yet,  surely,  the  text 
has  no  meaning,  if  they  might  not  be  openly  dedi- 
cated. 

From  this  clearly  established  principle  of  the  rep- 
resentation of  children  in  the  believing  parent,  it  fol- 
lows, — 

2.  That  they  (the  children  of  believers)  are  of  right 
members  of  the  church  on  earth. 

Such,  we  have  seen,  was  the  fact  and  the  practice  of 
the  church  under  the  Abrahamic  dispensation.  Every 
Israelite  was  by  birth  entitled  to  membership  of  the 
church,  the  sign  of  which  was  circumcision  of  the 
male  infants.  That  the  Christian  church  is  a  contin- 
uation of  the  Abrahamic,  the  apostle  puts  beyond  all 
reasonable  doubt  when  he  asserts  that  "  they  which  be 
of  faith  are  blessed  with  faithful  Abraham  "  (Gal.  iii. 
9),  to  whom  God  preached  the  gospel  when  he  said : 
"  In  thee  shall  all  nations  be  blessed  "  (8,  v.)  ;  and 
again  :  "  If  ye  be  Christ's,  then  are  ye  Abraham's  seed, 
and  children  according  to  the  promise  "  (29,  v.).  It 
is  vain  to  say  that  the  covenant  of  God  with  Abraham, 
into  which  the  newly  born  Israelite  was  brought  by 
circumcision,  had  reference  only  to  temporal  blessings  ; 
for  the  apostle  often  asserts  that  circumcision  was  a  seal 
of  the  righteousness  of  faith,  though  certain  temporal 
blessings  were  also  secured  by  it  to  his  natural  pos- 
terity. If,  then,  infants  were  admitted  as  membei's  of 
the  church  under  the  old  dispensation,  how  can  it  be 
denied  that  they  are  not  to  be  admitted  under  the  new  ? 
If  it  were  right  in  the  one,  it  must  be  right  in  the  other 


256  BAPTISM :   THE  SUBJECTS.         [Lect.  XXXIV. 

case,  because  the  fundamental  constitution  of  both  is 
the  same  :  justification  by  faith.  Whei'e  we  ask,  is 
there  any  proof  in  all  the  New  Testament  writings 
that  the  right  of  believers  to  church -membership  is 
taken  away  ?  Where  is  there  a  single  text  to  show 
that  the  Christian  believer  may  not  dedicate  his  child 
as  the  Jewish  believer  was  privileged  to  do  ?  On  the 
contrary,  we  find  four  instances  of  entire  households 
being  baptized  :  that  of  Cornelius,  that  of  Lydia,  that 
of  the  jailer,  and  that  of  Stephanas.  If  it  be  objected 
to  this,  that  we  do  not  know  whether  there  were  any 
but  adults  capable  of  personal  faith  in  these  households. 
We  answer  that  one  could  scarcely  take  four  families 
at  random  without  finding  some  infants  among  them  ; 
and,  besides,  the  promise  in  the  case  of  the  jailer  was 
to  him  as  the  head  of  his  house  :  "  Believe  on  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  and  thou  shalt  be  saved  and  thy  house." 
Not,  "  If  thy  house  also  believe,  they  shall  also  be 
»5aved  "  ;  but,  "  Believe  thou,  and  thy  house  shall  be 
saved  with  thee."  The  same  thing  is  intimated  to 
Cornelius  by  the  angel :  "  He  (Peter)  shall  tell  thee 
words,  whereby  thou  and  all  thy  house  shall  be  saved." 
So  Peter  at  the  Pentecost :  "  Repent  and  be  baptized 
every  one  of  you  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ,  for  the 
remission  of  your  sins,  and  ye  shall  receive  the  Holy 
Ghost ;  for  the  promise  is  unto  you  and  to  your  chil- 
dren, and  to  all  that  are  afar  off'  (z.  e.  the  Gentiles), 
even  to  as  many  as  the  Lord  our  God  sliull  call." 
There  the  promise  and  baptism  go  togethei* ;  and  if 
the  children  were  included  by  the  promise,  they  had 
also  the  privilege  of  receiving  the  baptism  which  was 
the  sign  of  the  promise. 

We  are  aAvare  of  the  cavil  against  this  view,  that 


Lect.  XXXIV.]        BAPTISM:   THE  SUBJECTS.  257 

the  reception  of  baptism  is  a  profession  of  faith,  and, 
therefore,  as  infants  are  not  capable  of  faith,  they  are 
not  capable  of  receiving  baptism.  Circumcision  was  a 
sign  of  faith,  as  much  as  baptism  is  ;  the  infant  Israel- 
ite received  it  on  the  faith  of  his  parent ;  so  may  the 
child  of  the  Christian  believer  receive  it  on  the  faith 
of  his  parent.  Besides,  it  savors  of  strong  impiety  to 
say  that  infants  may  not  be  members  of  Christ's  church, 
when  he  himself  took  special  pains  to  declare  that  "  of 
such  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven."  Nay,  when  he 
rebuked  his  disciples  for  keeping  back  the  mothers  who 
pressed  forward  to  lay  their  little  ones  in  the  Saviour's 
arms  :  "  Suffer  little  children  to  come  unto  me,  and  for- 
bid them  not."  How  can  children  be  brought  openly 
to  Christ  as  members  of  his  kingdom,  but  by  Christian 
baptism,  in  the  initiatory  rite  ordained  by  himself? 
How  can  we  lay  them  in  his  arms,  but  by  committing 
them  to  the  embrace  of  his  churcli  ? 

3.  The  promises  of  the  gospel  extend  to  the  infants 
of  believers. 

This  we  have  already  seen  ;  but  under  the  Old  Tes- 
tament the  parents  were  required  to  claim  the  promise 
for  their  offspring  according  to  the  external  rites  of  the 
law  ;  so  are  believers  under  the  New  Testament  to  tes- 
tify their  belief  in  the  promise  of  God  respecting  their 
children  by  the  rite  of  the  gospel.  It  is  not  enough 
for  a  man  that  he  believes ;  he  must  l^e  baptized  in 
token  of  his  belief ;  so  it  is  not  enough  that  the  parent 
believes  in  the  promise  to  his  child ;  he  must  present  his 
child  for  baptism  in  token  of  his  belief;  nor  can  he 
claim  the  blessing  of  the  covenant  except  he  avails  him- 
self of  its  seal.  Thus,  it  is  a  sin  on  his  own  part,  and 
injustice  toward  his  unconscious  child,  not  to  ask  the 
VOL.  n.  17 


258  BAPTISM:    THE   SUBJECTS.       [Lect.  XXXIV. 

blessing  for  it  accordino;  to  the  manner  which  God  has 
ordained. 

This  is  the  more  important, 

4.  Because  it  is  proper  that  the  children  of  believers 
should  be  distinguished  openly  from  the  children  of 
unbelievers. 

The  church  is  the  visible  representative  of  the  king 
dom  of  God  upon  earth.  As  the  children  of  a  citizen 
inherit,  of  course,  the  citizenship,  so  does  the  child  of 
a  church-member,  by  actual  descent,  become  entitled 
to  church-membership  until  he  forfeits  it  by  his  ovv^n 
conduct.  It  is,  therefore,  a  privilege  of  the  believer  to 
enroll  his  offspring  among  the  openly  covenanted  peo- 
ple of  God.  It  is  a  duty  which  he  owes  to  tiie  world, 
that  he  may  show  his  high  sense  of  the  Christian  name. 
It  is  his  duty  to  his  child  thus  to  put  him  in  the  posi- 
tion Avhich  will  remind  him,  when  of  years  to  under- 
stand, that  he  is  of  the  covenanted  seed.  Volumes 
might  be  filled  with  the  blessed  consequences  of  such 
faith  and  such  open  avowal  of  it.  And  were  Chris- 
tians more  faithful  in  following  up  the  vows  and  obli- 
gations they  assume,  and  in  impressing  upon  their  chil- 
dren the  obligations  under  which  they  rest,  the  num- 
bers of  such  blessed  consequences  would  be  greatly  en- 
lai'ged. 

5.  Because  baptism  is  come  in  the  place  of  circum- 
cision, it  is  the  authorized  method  of  marking  the  dis- 
tinction between  the  children  of  the  covenanted  church 
and  those  of  unbelievers.  That  baptism  has  come  in 
the  place  of  circumcision,  we  have  already  proved. 
Circumcision  was  the  initiatory  rite  of  the  old  dispensa- 
tion. Baptism  is  that  of  the  new.  Circumcision  has 
been   done  away,  baptism  remains  ;  therefore  is  it  in 


Lect.  XXXIV.]  BAPTISM:    THE   SUBJECTS.  259 

the  place  of  circumcision.  The  objection  that  circum- 
cision was  confined  to  the  males,  and  therefore  cannot 
be  succeeded  by  baptism  which  females  are  also  to  re- 
ceive, is  preposterous.  All  who  are  in  Christ  are  to  be 
baptized  ;  but  in  Christ  there  is  neither  male  nor  female, 
and  therefore  all  are  to  be  baptized  without  distinction 
of  sex.  If  our  other  arguments  in  favor  of  infant 
baptism  are  valid,  it  must  be  administered  to  all  the 
infants  of  believers,  as  the  more  gracious  sign  of  a  new 
and  better  dispensation. 


\ 


I 


LECTURE  XXXV. 

THE  SACRAMENT  OF  THE  SUPPER. 

PART  r. 
ITS   INSTITUTION    AND    ITS   MODE. 


t 

TWENTY-EIGHTH  LOHD'S   DAY. 

THE.  SACRAMENT   OF  THE   SUPPER. 

I. -ITS   INSTITUTION    AND  ITS   MODE. 

QoEST.  LXXV.  How  art  thou  admonished  and  assured  in  the  Lord's  sup- 
per thai  thou  art  a  partaker  of  that  one  s(tcrijice  of  Christ  accomplished 
on  the  cross,  and  of  all  his  benefis  f 
Ans.  Thus:  that  Christ  has  commanded  me  and  all  believers  to  eat  of 
this  broken  bread,  and  to  drink  of  tills  cup,  in  remembrance  of  him, 
adding  these  promises:  first,  that  his  body  was  offered  and  broken  on 
the  cross  for  me,  and  his  blood  shed  for  me,  as  certainly  as  I  see  with 
my  e^'es  the  bread  of  the  Lord  broken  for  me,  and  the  cup  communi- 
cated to  me;  and,  further,  that  he  feeds  and  nourishes  my  soul  to  ever- 
lasting life  with  his  crucified  body  and  slied  blood,  as  assuredly  as  I 
receive  from  the  hand  of  the  minister  and  taste  witli  my  mouth  the 
bread  and  cup  of  the  Lord,  as  certain  signs  of  the  body  and  blood  of 
Christ. 
Quest.   LXXVI.      What  is  it,  then,  to  eat  [of )  the  crucifed  body  ami  drink 

{of)  the  shed  blood  of  Christ? 
Ans.     It  is  not  only  to  embrace  with  a  believing  heart  all  the  sufferings 
and  death  of  Christ,  and  thereby  to  obtain  pardon  of  sin  and  life  eter- 
nal;  but  also,  besides  that,  to  become  more  and  more  united   to  his 
sacred  body  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  who  dwells  both  in  Christ  and  us;  so 
that  wc,  though  Christ  is  in  heaven  and  we  on  earth,  are,notwithstand- 
ing,"  flesh  of  his  flesh  and  bone  of  his  bone,"  so  that  we  live  and  are 
governed  forever  by  one  spirit,  as  members  of  the  same  body  are  by 
one  soul. 
Quest.  LXXVII.     Where  has  Christ  promised  that  he  will  as  certainly  feed 
and  nourish  believers  loith  his  body  and  blood,  as  they  eat  of  this  brokev 
bread  and  drink  of  this  cup  ? 
Ans.     In  the  institution  of  the  supper  it  is  thus  expressed:  "The  Lord 
Jesus  the  same  night  in  which  he  was  betrayed,  took  bread:  and  when 
he  had  given  thanks  he  brake  it  and  said.  Take,  eat;  this  is  my  body 
which  is  broken  for  you:  this  do  in  remembrance  of  me."     1  Cor.  xi. 
23-26.     The  promise  is  repeated  by  the  holy  apostle  Paul,  when  he  says : 
"  The  cup  of  blessing  which  we  bless,  is  it  not  the  communion  of  the 
blood  of  Christ?"     1  Cor.  x.  IG. 

TTAVING   carefully  considered  and  expounded   the 

doctrine  and  benefits  of  holy  baptism,  which  is  the 

ordinance  initiatory  to  the  churcli  of  Christ  visible  on 


2Gi  THE   SACPiAJIENT   OF   THE  SUPPER:       [Lect.  XXXV. 

earth,  we  shall  now  treat  in  full  of  The  Holy  Sup- 
per, which  is  the  confirmatory  ordinance  of  our  faith 
and  practice  as  members  of  the  Christian  church  ;  for, 
as  it  is  necessary  to  our  salvation,  not  only  tliat  we 
should  believe  and  profess  Christ's  religion,  but  also 
should  persevere  in  the  duties  of  Christian  ])ractice 
even  to  the  end  of  our  lives,  so  it  is  necessary  that  not 
only  we  should  be  born  again  of  the  Spirit,  but  also 
that  we  should  be  nourished  by  tlie  Spirit  to  a  constant 
growth  of  our  divine  life  until  it  is  made  ])erfect  in 
glory.  Hence  the  appointment  of  the  holy  supper, 
which,  by  its  expressive  emblems  and  frequent  adminis- 
tration, represents  and  confirms  to  the  behever  the 
maintenance  and  increase  of  his  Christianity  from  his 
communion  and  enjoyment  of  Christ,  his  only  life, 
strength,  and  head.  Before  entering  on  our  ])roposed 
discussion,  let  us  remind  ourselves  of  the  definition 
which  our  church  gives  of  the  sacraments  in  the  Twen- 
ty-fifth Lord's  Day,  sixty-sixth  question  and  answer  of 
the  Catechism  :  "  The  sacraments  are  holy,  visible  signs 
and  seals,  appointed  of  God  for  this  end,  that  by  the 
use  thereof  he  may  the  more  fully  declare  and  seal  to 
us  the  ])romise  of  the  gospel,  viz :  that  he  grants  us 
freely  the  remission  of  our  sins,  and  life  etei'iial,  for  the 
sake  of  the  one  sacrifice  of  Christ  accomplished  on  the 
cross."  They  are  holy,  for  it  is  necessary  that  they  be 
appointed  of  God  ;  visible,  for  they  ai'e  ortlinances  of 
the  church  visible  :  they  are  sigyis  to  represent  invisi- 
ble, because  spiritual,  realities  ;  and  seals,  because  they 
are  granted  to  confirm  the  word  of  grace  in  the  prom- 
ises of  the  gospel  ;  and  they  are  intended  to  bring  us 
to  a  more  lively  contem])lation  and  appropi'iation  of  the 
salvation  accomplished  for  us  by  the  one  sacrifice  of 
Christ  on  the  cross. 


Lect.  XXXV.]       ITS   INSTITUTION    AXD   ITS   MODE.  265 

Not  forgetting  these  fundamental  facts  and  truths,  we 
must  consider  this  second  sacrament,  commonly  called 
the  Lord's  supper,  under  several  heads  :  — '■ 

First  :  Its  institution.  Secondly  :  Its  mode. 
Thirdly  :  Its  purpose.  Fourthly  :  Its  partici- 
pants. 

This  order  is  somewhat  changed  from  that  of  the 
Catechism,  hut  no  more  than  is  desirable  for  the  sake 
of  convenience. 

First  :  Tlte  institution  or  appointme^it  of  the  Lord's 
supper. 

Our  blessed  Lord,  being  by  his  human  lineage  and  by 
his  circumcision  one  of  the  Israelitish  churcli,  observed 
all  its  ordinances  until  their  end  was  accomplished  by 
his  vicarious  death  on  the  cross.  Of  these  ordinances, 
the  Passover,  or  feast  of  the  paschal  lamb,  was  the  prin- 
cipal. It  represented  two  things  :  first,  the  salvation 
of  the  first-born  of  Israel  from  the  angel  who  slew  all 
the  first-born  of  Egypt,  and  distinguished  the  dwellings 
of  the  chosen  people  by  the  blood  of  the  lamb  slain 
under  divine  command,  which  was  sprinkled  on  their 
door-posts  ;  secondly,  the  exodus  of  Israel  out  of  Egypt 
by  the  miraculous  delivej'ance  and  guidance  of  God, 
the  covenanted  Jehovah  of  their  fathers.  It  was  essen- 
tial to  the  observance  of  this  feast  that  a  spotless  first- 
ling male  of  the  flock  should  be  slain  (care  being  taken 
that  not  a  bone  of  it  was  broken),  and  that  each  Israel- 
ite should  partake  of  its  flesh  as  their  families  were  as- 
sembled in  convenient  numbers  for  the  purpose.  The 
time  of  its  celebration  was  in  the  evening  of  the  second 
day  of  the  feast  of  unleavened  bread,  the  lamb  having 
been  slain  on  the  first. 

Our  Lord  had  observed  the  other  passovers  witliout 


266  THE   SACRAMENT   OF   THE   SUPPER:      [Lect.  XXXV. 

special  comment  to  his  disciples  ;  but  the  evangelists 
represent  him  as  preparing  for  the  last,  which  was  on 
the  night  in  which  he  was  betrayed,  with  peculiar  care 
and  solemnity.  "  With  desire,"  said  he,  as  he  sat  down 
with  the  twelve  apostles,  "I  have  desired  to  eat  of  this 
passover  before  I  suffer."  The  reasons  for  this  are 
obvious.  The  passover,  though  commemorative,  was 
in  a  higher  degree  typical.  The  event  it  commemo- 
rated was  typical  of  the  deliverance  of  his  people  from 
the  death  of  the  law,  and  their  deliverance  out  of  the 
bondage  of  Satan.  The  paschal  lamb  typified  himself, 
at  once  the  sacrifice  for  his  people,  and  their  deliverer. 
He  was  about  to  fulfil  by  his  death  on  the  cross,  and  by 
his  resurrection,  all  the  salvation  God  had  promised  by 
covenant  and  by  sign.  He,  therefore,  avails  himself 
of  the  last  opportunity  before  he  suffered,  and  of  the 
expressive  rite  itself,  to  ordain  for  his  church  in  all  ages 
a  sacrament  which  should  confirm  their  faith  by  a  re- 
membrance of  his  death  and  their  deliverance.  Three 
evangelists  give  an  account  of  his  action  in  nearly  the 
same  words.  Matthew  says :  "  As  they  were  eating, 
Jesus  took  bread,  and  blessed  it,  and  brake  it,  and  gave 
it  to  the  disciples,  and  said.  Take,  eat ;  this  is  my  body. 
And  he  took  the  cup  (for  wine  was  always  used  at  the 
paschal  supper)  and  gave  thanks  and  gave  it  to  them, 
saying,  Drink  ye  all  of  it ;  for  this  is  my  blood  of  the 
New  Testament,  which  is  shed  for  many  for  the  remis- 
sion of  sins."  Luke's  version  varies  from  those  of 
Matthew  and  Mark  by  adding  after  the  words  "  This  is 
my  body  " — "  which  is  given  for  you  ;  this  do  in  remem- 
brance of  me."  That  our  Lord  meant  thus  to  institute 
a  perpetual  ordinance  is  established  by  tlie  manifest  im- 
port of  the  words  themselves,  and  the  })ractice   of  the 


Lect.  XXXV.]       ITS   INSTITUTION   AND   ITS   MODE.  267 

cliurcli  oil  and  after  the  day  of  Pentecost ;  but  also  put 
beyond  doubt  by  the  apostle  Paul  in  1  Cor.  xi.  23-26 : 
"  For  I  iiave  received  of  the  Lord  that  which  also  I 
delivered  unto  you,  That  the  Lord  Jesus  the  same  night 
in  which  he  was  betrayed  took  bread  ;  and  when  he 
had  given  thanks,  he  brake  it,  and  said,  Take,  eat ;  this 
is  my  body,  which  is  broken  for  you  ;  this  do  in  remem- 
brance of  me.  After  the  same  manner,  also,  he  took 
the  cup,  when  he  had  supped,  saying.  This  cup  is  the 
New  Testament  in  my  blood  ;  this  do  ye,  as  oft  as  ye 
drink  of  it,  in  remembrance  of  me.  For,  as  often  as  ye 
eat  this  bread  and  drink  this  cup,  ye  do  show  the  Lord's 
death  till  he  come." 

From  this  collation  of  these  several  passages,  we  note 
several  things  :  1.  That  our  Lord  changed  the  Passover, 
which  was  a  sacrament  of  the  Old  Testament,  or  cove- 
nant with  Abraham,  into  the  Lord's  supper,  as  a  sacra- 
ment of  the  New  Testament,  or  the  covenant  of  God 
with  Christ,  as  the  head  of  his  church.  2.  That  our 
Lord  brake  not  the  flesh  of  the  paschal  lamb,  which 
was  a  sacrifice,  but  bread,  which  is  an  emblem  of  nour- 
ishment ;  and  afterward  represented  his  blood  by  wine, 
which  is  an  emblem-  of  joy,  for  the  cup  of  wine  which 
our  Lord  thus  used  was  at  the  end  of  the  Passover,  and 
was  called  the  cup  of  blessing,  or  praise,  or  of  salva- 
tion (Ps.  cxvi.  13)  ;  thus  showing  that  there  was  to  be 
no  farther  expiatory  sacrifice  or  shedding  of  blood,  but 
that  the  doctrine  of  the  sacrament,  as  a  commemoration 
of  Christ's  death,  was  thenceforward  to  be  the  nourish- 
ment and  joy  of  Christian  souls.  3.  That,  as  the  sacra- 
ment was  one  of  faith  in  the  accomplishment  of  salva- 
tion by  the  death  of  Christ,  and  of  thanksgiving  for 
such  inestimable  benefits,  it  was  to  continue  until  Christ, 


268  THE  hACUAAlENT   OF   THE  SUPPER:     [Lect.  XXXV. 

who  is  not  dead  but  risen,  shall  come  from  the  right 
hand  of  the  Father  to  receive  his  people  unto  himself. 
4.  That  they  who  by  true  faith  partake  of  the  elements, 
bread  and  wine,  thus  ordained  and  consecrated,  b^'come 
united  to  Christ's  body,  and  so  are  made  partakers  of 
all  the  benefits  which  Christ,  the  head  of  the  church, 
receives  by  virtue  of  the  covenant  of  God  the  Father 
for  the  church,  which  is  his  body. 

We  also  learn  the  reasons  for  the  several  appellations 
given  to  this  sacrament :  The  Lord's  supper  (1  Cor. 
xi.  20),  because  it  was  ordained  at  the  paschal  supper 
in  the  evening  ;  the  Lord's  table  (1  Cor.  x.  21),  be- 
cause the  disciples  were  and  are  gathered  around  a 
table  at  the  head  of  which  he  was,  and  by  his  spirit 
still  is,  —  not  an  altar,  as  though  it  were  a  sacrifice,  but 
a  table,  because  it  is  a  feast ;  the  communion  (1  Cor. 
X.  16),  because  those  who  receive  it  are  made  partakers 
individually  and  in  common  of  the  body  of  Christ,  and 
so  are  confirmed  in  fellowship  with  him  and  with  each 
other  in  him :  "  For  we  being  many  are  one  bread  and 
one  body,  for  we  are  all  partakers  of  that  one  bread;  " 
the  eucharist,  or  thanksgiving,  a  name  not  given  to 
it  expressly  by  any  Scripture,  but  with  good  reason 
adopted  by  the  church,  because  it  is  a  sacrament  of 
praise  and  thanksCTivino;  for  the  ^reat  benefits  flowino; 
from  Christ's  meritorious  death  to  all  who  truly  receive 
him  into  their  hearts.  For  we  must  remember,  again, 
that  our  sacrament  was  not  instituted  until  after  the  last 
passover,  and  the  cup  of  wine  was  that  whicli  the  Israel- 
ites Avere  accustomed  to  partake  of  at  the  close  of  their 
feast,  and  was  called  by  them  the  cup  of  salvation, 
or  of  thanksgiving.  Thus  all  the  circumstances  of 
its  institution   by  our  divine  Lord,  and   all   the  names 


Lect.  XXXV.]       ITS   INSTITUTION  AND  ITS  MODE.  261i 

by  which  it  was  known  to  the  primitive  church,  show 
that  tliis  sacrament  is  not  a  sacrifice  offered  in  hope  of 
benefits  to  be  obtained,  but  a  thankful  celebration  and 
believing  participation  of  benefits  already  purchased  for 
us  by  Christ  on  the  cross,  and  held  for  us  as  an  open 
treasury  of  full  supplies  by  Christ  on  his  throne  till  he 
come  again  at  the  consummation  of  all  things. 
We  are  now  prepared  to  consider, 
Secondly  :   The  mode  of  this  sacrament. 
1.  The  elements,  or  the  material  signs.      These  are 
bread  and  wine. 

The  bread,  with  which  our  Lord  actually  instituted 
the  sacrament,  being  the  bread  of  the  Passover,  was 
undoubtedly  unleavened  bread,  which  has,  in  ages  past, 
led  some  to  think  that  a  careful  conformity  to  our  Lord's 
example  should  require  us  to  use  no  other  in  our  cele- 
brations of  it.     Indeed,  there  was  a  fierce  dispute  bc^ 
tween  the  scholastic  doctors  of  the  Roman  church  and  the 
doctors  of  the  Greek  church  on  this  point :  the  Greeks 
calling   the    Latins    opprobriously   azymites    (a,   priv., 
and  iL,vp^rj,  leaven),  because  they  consecrated  unleavened 
bread,  and  the  Latins  retorting  angrily  on  the  Greeks 
for   having  departed  from  the  primitive  usage.       The 
Latins  were,  however,  by  no  means  unanimous  in  this 
respect,  for  the  schoolmen   met   with   stout  opponents 
from  among  their  own  communion  ;  and  I  believe  the 
general  sentiment  of  the  Romish  doctors  is  against  the 
schoolmen.     It  is  decided  by  learned  men  that  the  use 
of  unleavened  bread  and  wafers  was  unknown  in  the 
church,  except  among  the  heretical  Ebionites,  until  the 
eleventh  century  at  the  earliest,  the  bread  before  that 
time    being    taken    from    the    offerings    of    bread    and 
wine  brought  by  the  communicants  for  the  use  of  the 


270  THE   SACRAMENT   OF   THE  SUPPER  :     [Lect.  XXXV. 

poor,*  wlien  of  course  the  bread  was  leavened.  Some  of 
the  early  fatliers  (as  Ambrose,  De  Sac.  iv.  4)  expressly 
say  that  the  bread  they  used  was  common  bread  (jyanis 
usitatiLs) .'\  The  only  scripture  bearing  upon  this  point 
is  that  in  1  Cor.  v.  7,  8  :  "  For  even  Christ  our  passover 
is  sacrificed  for  us  ;  therefore  let  us  keep  the  feast,  not 
with  the  old  leaven,  neither  with  the  leaven  of  malice 
and  wickedness,  but  with  the  unleavened  bread  of  sin- 
cerity and  truth."  Tliere  is  no  reason,  however,  to 
think  that  the  apostle  there  is  giving  directions  about 
the  eucharist,  but  that  he  only  uses  a  striking  figure  to 
signify  the  purity  and  humility  and  unanimity  wiiich 
the  church  should  maintain.  There  was  a  commemo- 
rative reason  for  the  use  of  unleavened  bread  in  the 
Passover,  which  commemorated  the  haste  of  the  Israel- 
ites in  escaping  from  Egypt,  but  it  has  no  significance 
under  the  New  Testament ;  and  it  should  be  rejected 
as  a  part  of  the  painful  services  required  under  the  now 
obsolete  yoke  of  bondage.  Bread  in  our  sacrament  is 
an  emblem  of  strength  and  confidence,  which  the  ab- 
sence of  leaven  would  impair.  But  it  is  essential  to 
the  sacrament  that  bread,  not  wafers,  —  substantial, 
home-like,  every-day  bread,  —  should  be  employed  and 
partaken  of,  in  order  to  our  more  complete  realization 


*  We  know  from  Acts  ii.  44,  45,  that,  during  the  great  Pentecostal  bless- 
ings, the  early  Christians  held  all  their  means  for  the  relief  of  their  poorer 
brethren  "  as  every  man  had  need."  It  would  be,  therefore,  natural  and 
likely  that  they  would  bring  offerings  for  the  poor  when  they  came  to  the 
Lord's  table,  which  offerings  might  be  in  kind,  as  bread  and  wine,  or  in 
money.  Certainly,  from  the  eai^iest  times,  gifts  to  the  poor  were  accompa- 
niments of  the  sacrament;  and  'the  custom  in  our  churches  of  making  a 
collection  for  the  poor  of  the  Lord's  house  at  the  communion  table  has  thus 
come  down  to  us  from  the  Pentecost,  and  should  never  be  omitted.  It  is 
part  of  the  euch;>ristical,  or  thanksgiving,  service. 

1  See  Bingham,  Kic.  Aut.  Vol.  V.  p.  19G,  c(  seq. 


Lkct.  XXXV.]        ITS   INSTITUTION  AND  ITS   MODE.  271 

of  our  constant  dependence  on  Christ  for  the  support  of 
our  Christian  life.  Indeed,  we  have  reason  to  know 
that  the  early  Christians  not  only  celebrated  the  Lord's 
supper  often,  but  that  they  were  wont  to  make  an  imi- 
tation of  it  when  they  sat  down  to  their  ordinary  meal, 
especially  when  believers  long  parted,  or  from  a  distance, 
chanced  to  meet  together. 

Wine,  in  the  second  part  of  the  sacrament  or  com- 
munion of  the  cup,  is  the  element  essential  to  its  right 
administration.       There  can   be   no  question   that  our 
Lord  used  wine  ;  for  not  only  was  the  cup  of  blessing  at 
the  close  of  the  Passover  filled   with   wine,  but   both 
Matthew  and  Mark  tell  us  that  immediately  afterwards 
he  said  :  "I  will  not  drink  henceforth  of  this  fruit  of 
the  vine,  until  that  day  I  drink  it  new  with  you  in  my 
Father's  kingdom."     The  cup  was  an  emblem  of  joy, 
which  could  not  have  been  if  it  were  filled  with  any 
other  liquid.     It  was  also  significant  of  the  manner  in 
which    Christ's  blood  was  pressed  out  of  him   by   his 
ao'ony,  as  the  wine  is  pressed  from  the  grapes.     It  was 
also  in  accordance  with  the  prophecies,  especially  that 
remarkable  one  in  Isaiah   (xxv.  6),  where  he  employs 
the  figure  of  a  feast  to  describe  the  evangelical  dispen- 
sation :   "  And  in  this  mountain  shall  the  Lord  of  hosts 
make  unto  all  people   a  feast  of  fat  things,  a  feast  of 
wines   on   the   lees  ;    of  fat  things   full  of  marrow,  of 
wines  on  the  lees  well  refined."  Some  say  that  the  wine 
employed  by  the  Saviour  and  drunk  by  the  Jews  at  the 
Passover  was   not  intoxicating  wine,  but  a  species  of 
must ;  yet  this  is  far  from  being  ascertained,  besides 
being  contradictory  to  Isaiah's  description  of  it  as  wine 
on  the  lees  well  refined,  and  also  destructive  of  the  idea 
of  joy  or  exhilaration.     The  plea  for  substituting  some 


272  THE  SACRAMENT   OF  THE  SUPPER  :     [Lkct.  XXXV. 

unfermented  drink,  such  as  water  or  milk,  in  the  place 
of  wine,  that  it  encourages,  perhaps  suggests,  intemper- 
ance, is  profane,  for  it  impeaches  the  ))ropriety  of  our 
Lord's  exam})le,  as  if  it  were  not  sufficient  in  all  ages. 
Yet  to  such  impious  lengths  has  a  superscriptural  zeal 
for  reform  been  carried  by  some  who  would  be  wiser 
than  their  infallible  Lord  !  No  wonder  that  their  reform 
has  been  so  greatly  a  failure  ;  for  the  pleasure  of  him 
whose  blessing  alone  can  make  efforts  at  good  efficient 
must  be  withheld  from  measures  which  fortify  them- 
selves by  disobedience  to  the  divine  command,  and  im- 
peachment of  Christ's  wisdom  and  exemplary  virtue. 
Care  should  be  taken  that  the  wine  is  the  genuine  fruit 
of  the  grape,  not  the  base  mixtures  which  counterfeit ; 
and  pure  wine  can  be  obtained,  if  sufficient  care  be 
taken. 

There  can,  however,  be  little  doubt  that  the  practice 
of  mingling  the  sacramental  wine  with  water  obtained 
largely  in  the  primitive  church.  It  was  based  on  the 
asserted  custom  of  the  Jews  so  to  mingle  the  wine  of 
the  Passover  with  water,  and  also  on  the  foct  that  when 
our  Lord's  heart  was  pierced  by  the  spear  of  the  soldier, 
there  flowed  from  it  blood  mingled  with  water.  The 
more  learned  doctors,  both  Romanist  and  Protestant, 
are  no\v  mostly  agreed  in  thinking  the  practice  unne- 
cessary. The  wines  of  Palestine  are  strong  and  heady, 
so  as  to  give  a  reason  for  their  being  reduced,  which 
does  not  exist  now,  when  light,  pure  wines  may  be 
readily  obtained  ;  and  as  to  the  water  which  flowed 
from  the  heart  (or  jjerioardhim)  of  our  Lord,  he  him- 
self makes  no  allusion  to  it,  but  speaks  only  of  the  wine 
when  appointing  the  cup  as  the  sign  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment.    There  can,  however,  be  little  objection  made  to 


Lect.  XXXV.]      ITS  INSTITUTION   AND  ITS  MODE.  273 

the  mingling  of  water  with  the  sacramental  wine,  but 
there  is  no  authority  for  it ;  and  it  is  best  not  to  go  be- 
yond what  is  written. 

2.  The  formula,  or,  as  our  church  expresses  it, 
"  words   of  the  institution." 

As  the  church,  having  no  right  to  ordain  sacramental 
ceremonies,  is  bound  to  receive  and  observe  those  which 
our  Lord  and  his  apostles  have  appointed,  the  sacra- 
ment of  the  Lord's  supper  is  not  validly  administered 
except  the  authority  and  purpose  of  it  be  declared  out 
of  the  word  of  God,  by  the  solemn,  formal  recital  of 
our  Lord's  own  language  when  instituting  the  supper, 
and  that  of  the  apostle  Paul  where  he  confirms  and  fur- 
ther enjoins  it.  Thus  our  church,  in  her  "  form,"  or 
office,  "  for  the  administration  of  the  Lord's  supper," 
begins  it  by  reciting  the  passage  (1  Cor.  xi.  23-30)  in 
which  the  apostle  Paul  cites  from  the  gospels  the  ac- 
count of  its  appointment  by  our  Lord  himself;  and, 
also,  adds  his  apostolical  declaration  of  our  duty  and 
meaning  and  responsibility  rightly  to  observe  it.  Not 
satisfied  with  this,  in  a  subsequent  part  of  the  form, 
and  that  we  who  faithfully  commune  may  firmly  believe 
that  we  belong  to  the  covenant  of  grace,  our  church 
repeats  the  account  from  the  gospels  of  the  last  supper 
of  our  Lord  with  his  disciples. 

From  the  necessities  of  our  nature  we  may  often 
partake  of  bread  and  wine  in  company  with  fellow- 
Christians,  and  like  the  early  Christians  we  may  see  in 
our  household  meal  parables  of  the  body  and  blood  of 
Christ ;  but  it  is  obvious  that  the  confusion  of  such 
ordinary  meals  with  the  divine  sacrament  of  the  supper 
would  lead  to  licentious  and  impious  abuse.  The  apos- 
tle, in  the  same  chapter  which  enjoins  the  sacrament, 

VOL.    II.  18 


274         THK   SACRAMENT   OF   THE   SUPPER.       [Lect.  XXXV. 

evidently  rebukes  abuses  of  tliis  sort  when  he  savs  : 
"  When  ye  come  together,  therefore,  into  one  place, 
[this]  is  not  to  eat  the  Lord's  supper ;  for  in  eating, 
every  one  taketh  before  other  his  own  supper;  and  one 
is  liungry  and  anotlier  is  drunken.  What  I  liave  ye 
not  houses  to  eat  and  to  drink  in  ?  Or  despise  ye  the 
church  of  God  ?  What  shalf  I  say  to  you  ?  Sliall  I 
praise  you  in  this?  I  praise  you  not."  He  then  pro- 
ceeds witli  the  solemn  Avords  :  "  For  I  have  received 
of  the  Lord  Jesus  that  which  also  I  delivered  unto 
you,"  &c.  Hence  we  infer,  that,  as  in  the  administra- 
tion of  baptism  the  formula  appointed  by  our  Lord, 
"  In  the  name  of  the  Father  and  of  the  Son  and  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,"  should  be  pronounced,  so  the  adminis- 
tration of  this  sacrament  is  not  valid,  excej)t  the  words 
which  our  Lord  and  his  apostle  used  in  its  appointment 
and  confirmation  be  reverently  employed  to  distinguish 
it  from  all  other  feasts. 

It  does  not  follow,  however,  that  the  words  of  insti- 
tution may  not  be  accompanied  by  instructions  and 
exhortations  fitted  to  the  service.  On  the  contrary, 
such  are  highly  desirable  for  the  better  acquaintance  of 
the  people  with  their  duties  and  privileges.  Experience^ 
has  shown  that,  notwithstanding  the  revealed  teachings 
on  the  subject,  people  are  prone  to  misunderstand  and 
misapproMi'iate  the  sacrament ;  and,  therefore,  as  preach- 
ing iipon  other  Scriptures  is  no  dishonor  to  their  effi- 
ciency, but  a  specially  appointed  means  of  edification, 
so  such  exposition  may  be  made,  and  with  profit,  of  the 
Scriptures  t)rdaining  the  sacraments.  It  has  also  been 
found,  that,  at  the  time  of  celebrating  this  very  solemn 
rite,  the  hearts  of  the  people  are  more  than  usually  dis- 
posed  to   hear   and  receive   instruction   respecting  the 


Lect.  XXXV.]      ITS   INSTITUTION   AND   ITS   MODE.  275 

great  facts  and  doctrines  and  duties  of  religion  ;  and 
therefore  it  is  most  meet  and  desirable  that  such  in- 
struction should  be  carefully  given.  So  important  did 
this  aj)pear  to  our  fathers  of  the  Reformed  churches, 
that  they  all  (I  am  not  aware  of  any  exception  in 
Great  Britain  or  on  the  Continent)  prepared,  with 
great  pains,  forms,  or  offices,  which  should  be  used 
Avhenever  the  Lord's  supper  was  administered.  This 
they  did,  evidently,  from  a  consideration  that,  though  a 
faithful  and  intelligent  pastor  would  not  administer  the 
sacrament  without  a  due  exposition  of  it,  yet,  that 
there  might  be  found  pastors  too  careless  or  less  quali- 
fied to  expound  it  fully  ;  and  so,  to  secure  the  instruc- 
tion of  the  people  and  to  prevent  errors  or  abuses 
creeping  in,  the  churches  took  the  duty  into  their  own 
hands,  so  far  as  to  require  the  reading  or  recital  of  a 
sufficient  form  which  had  their  corporate  sanction. 
Any  reader  of  the  disputes  and  difficulties  which  oc- 
ciu'red  then  respecting  the  doctrine  and  manner  of  the 
supper,  will  see  at  once  how  necessary  such  appointed 
forms  were';  and  any  one  who  knows  the  deceitfidness 
of  the  human  heart  will  acknowledge  that  what  has 
occurred  may  occur  again.  Some  of  the  Reformed 
churches,  as  the  Presbyterian  in  Great  Britain  and  this 
country,  have  allowed  their  ancient  forms  to  become 
obsolete  ;  but  our  church,  like  the  churches  of  the  Con- 
tinent, has  retained  in  her  service-book  the  form  pre- 
pared and  appointed  by  our  fathers.  Its  excellence, 
though  somewhat  marred  by  defects  and  errors  in  our 
translation,  is  so  high,  that  it  ma}'  without  extravagance 
be  pronounced  the  best  uninspired  commentary  on  the 
Lord's  supper,  of  equal  length,  in  any  language.  Our 
church  does  not  claim  authority  to  dictate  beyond  the 


276         THE   SACRAMENT   OF   THE    SUPPER:        [Lect.  XXXV 

warrant  of  Holy  Scriptures  ;  but  when  she  solemnly 
recommends,  through  the  unanimous  voice  of  her  as- 
semblies and  presbyters  and  people  for  so  many  years,  a 
form  of  sound  words  in  full  undoubted  accordance  with 
the  articles  of  her  faith,  which  we  profess  to  believe, 
for  the  better  and  uniform  administration  of  the  sacra- 
ment, it  seems  only  decent  and  just  that  such  form 
should  be  used,  except  in  such  very  extraordinary  cases 
where  it  would  be  impracticable  or  burdensome.  To 
allow  each  or  any  administrator  of  the  sacrament  to 
omit  parts  of  the  form  at  his  option  would  be  to  risk 
the  value  of  the  whole,  as  he  might  omit  parts  in  order 
to  screen  his  own  unsoundness  of  doctrine  or  discipline 
from  the  condemnation  of  the  church.  For  one  man, 
from  his  own  personal  judgment  of  its  fitness  or  unfit- 
ness, to  omit  or  amend  the  words  of  our  \mited  church, 
savors  little  of  modesty  and  much  of  impertinent  pre- 
sumption. If  the  form  be  faulty,  from  the  great  length 
or  for  any  other  reason,  let  it  be  duly  altered  by  the 
united,  pious  wisdom  of  the  church  ;  but  it  were  pain- 
ful to  think  of  leaving  her  well-digested,  venerable 
words  to  the  rashness  of  every  self-sufficient,  egotistical 
meddler  who  sets  himself  up  for  a  pope  in  his  little 
sphere.  As  it  is,  if  the  form  be  faithfully  and  solemnly 
read,  our  Christian  people  are,  at  least  four  times  a 
year,  reminded  and  made  to  consider  the  doctrines  and 
'  duties  taught  by  the  sacrament  in  a  discourse  or  treatise 
so  able  and  pious  that  there  lives  no  single  man,  what- 
ever be  his  intellect  or  attainments,  who  can  write  one 
as  good,  or  amend  it  by  omission  or  addition.  Guard 
that  precious  form,  beloved  Christians,  from  corruption 
or  garbling.  If  the  united  church  sees  fit  to  make 
■changes  in  it,  there  is  little  doubt  of  their  being  judi- 


Lect.  XXXV.]       ITS   INSTITUTION   AND   ITS    MODE.  277 

cious  ;  but  frown  upon  any  attempt  to  touch  its  integ- 
rity by  any  individual. 

3.  The  action. 

It  is  not  enough  that  the  bread  and  wine  be  set  forth 
to  the  eyes  of  the  people,  but  essential  to  the  sacra- 
ment that  the  very  action  of  our  Lord,  when  he  pre- 
sented the  elements  to  his  disciples,  should  be  called  to 
mind,  and  this  by  the  action  of  the  administrator  ;  for 
as  the  sacrament  is  in  every  part  a  sign,  so  every  part 
of  the  sign  should  be  preserved  and  perpetuated,  that 
thereby  the  things  signified  should  be  visibly,  i.  e.  by 
visible  forms,  brought  before  the  people  for  their  spirit- 
ual edification.  Therefore,  the  bread  should  be  broken, 
and  the  wine  poured  forth  or  extended  (for  we  do  not 
read  that  our  Lord  did  actually  pour  the  wine  into  the 
cup  when  he  consecrated  it),  the  administrator  at  the 
same  time  declaring,  in  the  words  of  Scripture,  that  the 
broken  bread  and  the  wine  in  the  cup  are  sepai'ate  by 
the  communion,  the  one  of  the  body,  the  other  of  the 
blood  of  Christ.  For  it  is  not  the  bread  in  the  loaf, 
or  the  wine  in  the  cup,  which  is  the  communion  of 
Christ,  but  the  bread  and  the  cup,  distributed  and  re- 
ceived by  the  communicants  with  their  mouth.  Hence 
the  apostle  says :  "  The  cup  of  blessing  which  ive  bless, 
is  it  not  the  communion  of  the  blood  of  Christ  ?  The 
bread  which  we  break,  is  it  not  the  communion  of  the 
body  of  Christ  ?  "  which  shows  clearly  that  the  action 
of  our  Lord  is  to  be  repeated  by  the  officiator.  The 
action  of  the  sacrament  is  not  complete,  therefore,  even 
with  the  distribution  of  the  elements,  but  only  when 
the  believer  actually  receives  them  within  his  mouth, 
and  both  eats  the  one  and  drinks  the  other,  so  that 
there  be  a  real  participation.     The  administrator  does 


278  THE  SACRAMENT  OF   THE  SUPPER:       [Lect.  XXXV. 

not  confer  the  grace  of  the  sacraments  ;  he  bnt  does 
his  part  in  tlie^use  of  the  means,  by  extending  the  ele- 
ments through  which,  according  to  the  promise  of  God, 
Christ  offers  himself  to  our  participation.  The  recep- 
tion of  the  elements  is  the  action  by  which  the  believer 
declares  his  appropriation  to  himself  of  the  grace  prom- 
ised to  those  wlio  in  true  faith  use  the  sign  which 
Christ  has  ordained.  Hence,  our  Lord  expressly  com- 
manded the  disciples  to  eat  the  bread  :  "  Take,  eat ;  " 
and  to  drink  the  wine  :  "■  Drink  ye  all  of  it."  Hence, 
also,  the  apostle  says :  "■  As  often  as  ye  eat  of  this 
bread  and  drink  of  this  cup,  ye  do  show  [proclaim, 
Karayye'Arre]  the  Lord's  death  till  he  come,"  The 
notion  which  some,  who  are  unwilling  to  profess  Christ 
before  men,  are  fond  of  entertaining  that  they  may 
spiritually  partake  of  the  things  signified  in  the  sacra- 
ment, though  not  actually  partaking  of  the  elements, 
is  erroneous  and  dangerous.  That  such  grace  may  be 
allowed  in  special  cases,  (as  where  fair  opportunity  has 
not  been  had  to  obtain  admission  at  the  table,  &c.,)  we 
cannot  deny,  for  God  is  very  merciful  to  our  weak- 
nesses ;  but  the  believer  is  bound  to  take  his  part  in 
the  open  celebration,  or,  as  the  word  "  show  "  means, 
tlie  pi'oclamation  or  setting  forth  of  Christ's  salvation, 
which  he  cannot  do  unless  he  actually  partakes  of  the 
proffered  elements. 

4.  The  posture. 

There  can  be  no  doubt  that  our  Lord  intended  by 
this  sacrament  to  present  before  the  church  a  lively 
representation  of  his  church  united  as  a  household  of 
God  around  a  family  table,  partaking  of  the  same  spir- 
itual food,  and  united  to  each  other  because  united  to 
Christ,  the  institutor  and  master  of  the  feast.     When 


Lect.  XXXV.]       ITS  INSTITUTION  AND  ITS   MODE.  279 

our  Lord  ordained  the  sacrament,  he  was  at  the  head 
of  the  table  of  the  paschal  supper,  and  administered 
the  bread  and  the  wine  to  his  disciples,  —  they,  like 
himself,  being  in  the  posture  common  to  them  at  their 
meals.  The  idea  of  a  family  in  the  communion  of  a 
household  feast,  is  wellnigh  as  essential  to  the  sacra- 
ment as  that  of  receiving  by  faith  the  body  and  blood 
of  the  Lord.  But  a  table  is  essential  to  the  represen- 
tation of  that  sacred  idea  ;  and  hence  the  apostle  speaks 
by  inspiration  of  "  the  table  of  the  Lord  "  ;  and  the 
Protestant  church  almost  universally  uses  the  term, 
"  the  Lord's  Table,"  as  synonymous  with  the  sacra- 
ment of  the  supper.  It  is  not  a  supper  in  common  (or 
communion),  except  as  we  gather  around  a  table,  and 
that  in  the  posture  we  ordinarily  use  on  such  occasions 
of  common  participation.  Hence  our  church,  in  com- 
mon with  most  of  the  Reformed  churches,  sets  before 
the  people  a  table  crowned  with  the  holy  elements,  and 
invites  the  true  disciples  of  Christ  to  separate  them- 
selves from  the  world,  and  gather  themselves  together 
about  the  table  that  they  may  sit  together  as  a  family 
of  God. 

It  is  to  be  regretted  that  our  houses  of  worship  are 
not  often  so  constructed  as  to  allow,  the  setting  of  a 
table  sufficiently  large  for  all  the  communicants  to  seat 
themselves  at.  Those  who  have  had  an  oj)portunity 
of  being  present  at  a  communion  where  that  method 
was  employed  will  confess  that  the  solemnity  and  in- 
structiveness  of  the  rite  were  greatly  increased.  But 
since  this,  from  the  narrowness  of  our  church  aisles,  is 
not  often  feasible,  painful  expedients,  somewhat  oppo- 
site in  character,  have  been  resorted  to.  The  Scotch 
churches  and   some  others,  for  instance,  unwilling  to 


280  THE  SACRAMENT  OF  THE  SUPPER:       [Lect.  XXXV. 

(Jimiiiish  the  significance  of  the  table,  brincr  forward 
the  conimnnicants  in  successive  groups  suited  to  the 
size  of  the  table,  administering  the  elements  to  each 
group  by  themselves.  But  in  so  doing  they  lose  the 
perhaps  equally  necessary  idea  of  communing  together 
and  at  the  same  time  as  one  family.  They  may,  it  is 
true,  commune  together  in  spirit,  but  the  outward  visi- 
ble form  of  the  communion  is  not  fully  maintained. 
As  the  apostle  says  :  "  Every  one  taketh  before  other 
his  own  supper." 

Some  other  churches,  as  our  own,  have  adopted  the 
opposite  and  scarcely  less  offensive  plan  of  gathering  as 
many  as  may  be  conveniently  brought  around  the  table, 
and  allowing  the  rest  to  occupy  the  ordinary  seats  of 
the  church,  trusting  that  in  their  own  minds  they  will 
consider  themselves  as  at  the  table,  while  commun- 
ing with  their  brethren  and  sisters  there.  Still  the 
significance  of  the  Lord's  table  is  greatly  impaired. 
Nor  do  Ave  hesitate  to  say  that  the  expedient  is  the 
reverse  of  edifying.  Certainly,  it  should  not  be  re- 
sorted to  except  by  necessity.  The  table  should  be  as 
large  as  possible,  and  no  other  seats  occupied,  but  Avhen 
it  is  filled.  The  aged  or  infirm  may  very  well  be 
allowed  to  keep  their  previous  places,  for  the  gospel 
requires  no  painful  ordinances  ;  but  others  have  no 
such  excuse,  and  ought  not  to  lose  any  benefit  of  the 
instructive  figure.  If  the  table  be  not  large  enough  for 
all,  those  who  cannot  find  places  at  it  should  at  least 
change  to  others,  that  they  in  outward  act  as  well  as  in 
thought  go  to  the  holy  table. 

Let  it  not  be  said  that  mere  form  is  of  little  account, 
so  that  the  heart  be  right.  What  is  the  external  ad- 
ministration  of  the   Lord's   supper   but  a  form  ?    and 


Lect.  XXXV.]        ITS   INSTITUTION  AND  ITS   MODE.  ^81 

ordained  for  the  very  reason  that,  in  tlie  wisdom  of 
God,  form  is  necessary  to  the  exhibition  of  the  Chris- 
tian eliurch  to  the  world  and  to  itself?  and  that  the 
appointed  sacraments,  as  outward  visible  forms,  or 
signs  or  seals,  are  highly  edifying,  by  the  grace  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  to  those  who  profess  Christ  ?  The  same 
argument  that  would  do  away  with  one  part  of  the 
form  would  do  away  with  the  sacrament  altogether  ; 
which  is  the  case  with  the  Friends  or  Quakers,  Avho 
reject  the  outward  sacraments,  because,  as  they  say, 
they  spiritually  receive  the  truths  which  those  forms 
signify. 

The  Puritans,  with  all  their  other  virtues  and  ser- 
vices to  Christianity,  did  the  cause  of  religion  much 
harm  by  stripping  the  outward  church  of  associations, 
which,  from  our  human  nature,  God  has  mercifully  and 
wisely  employed  for  the  edification  and  comfort  of  his 
people  while  yet  in  the  body  of  flesh.  As  the  Quaker 
rejects  all  colors  but  drab,  though  God  has  scattered 
variegated  beauty  on  every  side,  so  the  Puritan  rejected 
all  but  straight  lines,  though  the  graceful  curve  is  seen 
in  every  leaf  and  wave  and  form  of  living  creature. 
We  may  not,  from  our  own  fancy  or  taste,  attempt  to 
improve  on  the  forms  which  God  has  appointed,  or  in- 
troduce superscriptural  novelties  ;  but  we  should  retain 
all  the  illustrations  of  truth  he  has  given  us,  especially 
in  the  sacraments.  We  are  weak  creatures,  wholly 
dependent  on  God's  Holy  Spirit  through  the  means  of 
grace  for  our  upholding  ;  and  the  church  is  compared 
to  a  vine  which  has  not  strength  of  its  own  to  stand 
erect ;  but  the  vine  clasps  the  supporting  elm  or  trel- 
lis-work by  its  curling  tendrils,  —  tendrils  because  they 
are   tender,  —  not    by   its   trunk   or  stronger    branches 


282  THE  SACRAMENT  OF   THE   SUPPER:     [Lect,  XXXV. 

only.  So  every  association  of  .the  sacrament  has  its 
uses  to  help  the  tender  faith  and  clinging  affections  of 
the  lowly-minded  comnuanicant,  conscious  of  his  own 
weakness,  but  clasping  the  strength  of  Christ.  We  are 
not  Puritans,  but  of  the  Reformed  churches. 

You  see  by  these  observations  that  our  church  rejects 
those  customs,  in  observing  the  Lord's  supper,  which 
have  greatly  assisted  the  abominable  perversions  of  the 
Popish  mass,  as  we  shall  have  occasion  farther  to  show. 
Adopting  the  profane  and  absurd  belief  that  the  bread 
and  the  wine  were  actually  transubstantiated  (or 
changed  in  substance)  to  the  actual  body  and  blood  of 
our  Lord,  the  adherents  of  a  heathenish  compound  with 
Christianity  soon  came  to  believe  that  the  eucharist 
was  also  an  actual  repetition  of  our  Lord's  one  merito- 
rious sacrifice  on  the  cross.  Hence  they  were  so  fond 
as  to  consider  the  officiating  minister  a  jji-iest  or  sacri- 
ficer,  contending  that  when  he  pronounced  the  words 
"  This  is  my  body,"  and  "  This  is  my  blood,"  the 
bread  and  the  wine  not  only  underwent  in  his  hands 
the  transubstantiation,  but  also  became  the  victim 
which  he  (the  priest)  had  sacerdotal  power  to  oflFer 
meritoriously  to  God  for  the  remission  of  sins.  Llence, 
also,  the  holy  table  came  to  be  regarded  as  the  altar  on 
which  the  sacrifice  of  the  mass  was  oftered ;  and  as 
they  were  taught  that  the  divinity  of  Christ  was  actu- 
ally in  the  bread  and  wine,  they  were  required  to  kneel 
in  adoration. 

It  is  not  denied  that  at  an  early  date  some  Christian 
writers  called  the  communion  table  the  altar,  —  but 
@vaia(TTy']j)iov,  uever  I3u)ix6<; ;  which  latter  word  is  used 
only  once  in  the  New  Testament  (Acts  vii.  23)  ;  but  it 
is  certain  that,  until  the  rise  of  transubstantiation,  they 


Lkct.  XXXV.]      ITS   INSTITUTION   AND  ITS  MODE.  283 

employed  the  term  as  synonymous  with  the  sacred 
table.  The  New  Testament  nowhere  assumes  even 
this,  and,  therefore,  no  usage  can  justify  it. 

Rejecting,  as  the  Reformed  churches  do,  the  whole 
doctrine  of  the  mass,  the  transubstantiation,  and  the 
sacrifice,  and  reiiardino;  the  sacrament  as  a  commemo- 
rative  and  illustrative  supper  or  feast,  we  also  reject 
the  word  priest,  other  than  as  applied  to  Christ,  the 
High  Priest,  or  to  every  Christian  who  offers  thanks 
unto  God ;  we  also  reject  the  word  altar^  believing  that 
Christ  in  heaven  is  the  only  altar  of  his  church,  and 
we  sit  at  the  Lord's  table  as  guests  of  Christ,  and  do 
not  kneel  in  idolatry  of  what  we  believe  to  be  mere 
emblems. 

There  are  Protestant  churches  in  which  the  terms 
priest  and  altar,  with  the  kneeling  posture  at  the 
eucharist,  are  retained  ;  but  they  are  remnants  of  a 
superstition  which  should  be  considered  exploded,  and 
guarded  against  accordingly.  Luther,  though  he  re- 
jected the  priesthood  of  the  clergy,  and  the  repetition 
of  Christ's  sacrifice,  yet  clung  to  the  Popish  doctrine 
so  far  as  to  claim  for  the  elements  a  co7isuhstantiation^ 
as  he  termed  it,  with  Christ's  real  person.  So  his  fol- 
lowers retain  the  term  altar,  and  kneel  at  it  when  re- 
ceiving the  sacrament.  During  the  Reformation  in 
England,  under  Henry  VHL  and  Elizabeth,  the  court 
politicians,  and  some  clergy  only  half-converted  from 
Rome,  were  anxious  to  conform  the  Prostestant  church 
as  much  as  they  could  to  the  old  superstitions,  that  the 
prejudices  of  the  people  might  not  be  shocked  by  too 
great  a  change  of  ritual.  Hence,  in  spite  of  vigorous 
remonstrances  from  more  determined  reformers  in  the 
new  English  church,  they  forced  upon  it  many  things 


284  THE  SACRAMENT   OF   THE  SUPPER:      [Lect.  XXXV. 

which  had  better  have  been  abandoned,  and  among 
them  the  terms  priest  and  altar,  and  this  kneeling  at 
the  eucharist.  No  doubt,  many  pious  people  among 
them  kneel  around  the  altar  without  any  remnant  of 
idolatrous  superstition,  contending  that  kneeling  is  a 
most  solemn  posture,  fitted  for  so  solemn  an  act.  But 
as  it  destroys  the  idea  of  communion  at  the  table  of  the 
Lord,  kneeling,  though  a  fit  posture  in  other  devotional 
acts,  has  no  fitness  at  the  holy  communion.  It  is  a 
variation  from  our  Lord's  own  method,  and  it  gives 
favor  to  gross  eiTors. 

5.  The  administrator. 

As  was  said  in  ti'eating  of  baptism,  the  proper  per- 
son to  administer  the  Lord's  supper  is  the  ordained 
minister,  the  bishop  settled  or  acting  for  the  time  being, 
of  the  church,  —  that  is  the  pastor,  who,  from  his  very 
name,  is  to  feed  the  flock  of  Christ.  At  every  feast 
some  one  sits  at  the  head  of  the  table  ;  and  Christ  is 
spiritually  at  the  head  of  his  own.  But  as  it  is  a  sensi- 
ble rite,  it  is  proper  that  the  Master  should  be  visibly 
represented,  which  can  be  by  none  so  properly  as  by 
one  of  those  whom  he  has  appointed  to  proclaim  his 
word,  and  whom  he  has  set  as  overseers  of  his  house. 
Hence  we  find  that  no  sect  or  denomination  of  Chris- 
tians who  acknowledge  an  ordained  ministry  allow  the 
administration  of  this  sacrament  to  any  other  hands 
than  theirs.  As  they  have  succeeded  the  apostles  in 
the  office  of  preaching,  so  they  succeed  the  apostles  in 
this. 

As  helpers  are  required  to  distribute  the  elements 
among  the  people,  our  church  commits  the  service 
not  to  the  elders,  who  are  joined  with  the  minister  in 
the  oversight  of  the  church,  but  to  the  deacons,  whose 


LECT.  XXXV.]        ITS  INSTITUTION  AND  ITS   MODE.  285 

very  name  signifies  servants,  and  who  were  appointed 
to  serve  tables.  This  service,  it  is  true,  was  for  the 
poor  ;  but  are  we  not  all  poor,  and  do  we  not  receive 
the  Lord's  bounty  at  his  holy  table  ?  Who  so  proper, 
then,  as  the  servants  of  the  Lord's  poor  to  minister  of 
his  bread  and  wine  to  us  ? 

6.   The  times  of  observance. 

It  appears  from  Scripture  that  the  celebration  of  this 
sacrament  was,  at  the  beginning,  part  of  every  Lord's 
day's  service,  as  we  read  (Acts  xx.  7)  :  "  Upon  the 
first  day  of  the  week,  when  the  disciples  came  together 
to  break  bread,  Paul  preached  unto  them."  Nay,  it 
would  seem  that  during  the  great  joy  of  the  Pentecost 
it  was  celebrated  every  day  ;  for  they,  "  continuing  daily 
with  one  accord  in  the  temple,  and  breaking  bread 
from  house  to  house,  did  eat  their  meat  [food]  with 
o-ladness  and  singleness  of  heart."  The  probability  is, 
that,  greatly  needing  divine  consolations  in  their  trials, 
and  being  prevented  by  their  persecutors  from  assem- 
blino-  regularly  as  they  would  wish,  they  availed  them- 
selves of  every  opportunity  to  enjoy  the  blessings  of 
sacramental  communion.  Some  of  the  early  sects  con- 
tinued to  celebrate  it  every  day  ;  and  it  is  quite  certain 
from  ecclesiastical  history  that  it  was  not  omitted  on 
the  first  day  of  the  week  for  at  least  three  centuries 
after  Christ,  so  that  Chrysostom  calls  the  Lord's  day, 
dies  panis^  the  Day  of  Bread. 

As  the  church  through  her  superstitions  relapsed 
into  coldness,  the  necessity  of  frequent  communion 
was  less  insisted  on.  Whereas,  first,  the  Christian 
professor  was  censured  for  omitting  the  communion 
on  any  one  Lord's  day,  he  was  then  required  to  com- 
mune once  at  least  in  three  weeks,  then  once  a  month, 


286  THE  SACRAMENT  OF   THE   SUPPER:     [Lect.  XXXV. 

then  four  or  three  times  a  year,  then  once  a  year.  Yet, 
notwithstanding  such  latitude  to  the  people,  the  church 
of  Rome,  as  the  Eastern  church,  celebrates  the  sacra- 
ment, however  improperly,  every  Lord's  day  for  such 
as  are  willing  to  receive  it.  It  is  remarkable  also  that 
Calvin,  among  other  censurers  of  the  church  of  Rome, 
and  of  those  partly,  though  not  entirely,  out  from  under 
its  influence,  reprobates  the  infrequency  of  communion 
as  a  "  most  certain  invention  *  of  the  devil,"  and  says 
that  "  at  least  every  week  the  table  of  the  Lord  should 
be  spread  for  assembled  Christians." 

Whether  or  not  our  church  is  wdiolly  right  in  cele- 
brating the  communion  only  four  times  a  year  (it  was 
at  first  six  times,  that  is,  every  other  month  f),  may 
not  be  without  question.  The  plea  for  such  infre- 
quency, however,  is,  that  more  frequent  communions 
have  a  tendency  to  render  the  sacrament  less  duly 
regarded,  and  degenerates  into  formality.  Li  days  of 
persecution  and  martyrdom,  Christians  were  more 
lively,  and  had  a  stronger  aj)petite  for  tiie  holy  bread 
and  wine  ;  whereas  now  it  is  necessary  to  stir  up  their 
minds  to  the  duty  by  special  appeals  and  preparation, 
which  could  not  be  done  so  thoroughly  if  it  were  more 
often  administered.  This  only  acknowledges  the  re- 
inissness  of  the  church,  instead  of  justiiying  her  pres- 
ent practice  ;  and  we  must  believe  that  if  the  church 
were  more  awake  to  the  great  benefits  of  the  Lord's 
supper,  we  should  recur  to  the  primitive  usage. 

It  is  not  my  part,  however,  to  condemn  the  practice 
which  our  church  chooses  to  maintain,  though  I  am 
bound  in  treating  of  the  sacrament  to  give  the  facts.     I 

*  Certissimum   inveiitnm   diaboli.     Instit.  Lib.  iv.  17,  60. 
t  Vectii  Disputa,  Vol.  IV.  p.  701. 


LiiCT.  XXXV.]      ITS   INSTITUTION  AND   ITS   MODE.  287 

may  not  venture  to  say  more,  but  I  have  not  dared  to 
say  less. 

It  may,  however,  be  added  that,  though  the  Scrip- 
tures distinctly  prescribe  the  manner  of  the  celebration, 
they  nowhere  prescribe  the  times  or  the  frequency  of 
it ;  and,  therefore,  latitude  is  allowed  to  the  judgment 
of  the  church  and  the  conscience  of  the  individual 
Christian.  Still,  as  the  declaration  is,  that  "  as  often  as 
we  eat  of  this  bread  and  drink  of  this  cup  we  do  show 
the  Lord's  death  till  he  come,"  the  latitude  allowed 
cannot  be  great  to  the  Christian  who  desires  to  grow  in 
grace  and  the  knowledge  of  his  Lord. 

Some  Christians,  though  comparatively  few,  have 
deemed  it  necessary  to  imitate  the  first  communion  so 
closely  as  to  insist  upon  its  celebration  in  the  evening, 
that  it  may  be  actually  a  supper  ;  and  it  would  appear 
that  the  breaking  of  bread  spoken  of  in  Acts  xx.  7 
was  in  the  evening,  for  Paul  preached  "  until  mid- 
night." In  t!ie  days  of  persecution,  also,  it  would  be 
the  safest  time  to  engage  in  religious  exercises.  But 
it  savors  of  too  great  rigidness  to  contend  that  the 
sacrament  should  not  be  administered  at  the  time  of 
day  most  convenient  for  the  assembly  of  the  people  ; 
and,  no  doubt,  there  was,  and  might  be  again,  much 
licentious  evil  suspected  of,  and  even  occasioned  by 
such  late  meetings.  The  apostolical  injunction,  "  Let 
all  things  be  done  decently  and  in  order,"  sufficiently 
justifies  our  present  practice,  which  others  may  vary 
from,  if  they  choose,  as  is  their  right.  It  should  be 
observed,  however,  that  the  Greek  term  rendered  sup- 
per (SuTTvov)  may  be  used  for  any  meal,  even  the  first  of 
the  day,  though  jxn-haps  more  frequently  signifying  the 
principal  meal,  which  was  in  the  afternoon. 


288  THE  SACRAMENT  OF  THE  SUPPER.      [Lkct.  XXXV. 

Some  churches,  Protestant  as  well  as  Papist,  allow 
the  administration  of  the  eucharist  to  sick  and  dying 
persons.  Our  church  has  not  taken  any  formal  order 
on  the  subject,  but  th6  general,  though  not  universal, 
sentiment  among  us  is  against  it,  because  very  liable  to 
supei'stitious  and  I'ash  abuse.  The  sacrament,  by  its 
very  name  of  communion,  is  a  public  ordinance  intended 
for  the  whole  church,  and  not  for  the  edification  of  the 
individual  believer  except  in  union  with  the  assembled 
chvirch,  nor  can  it  be  partaken  of  privately  without 
diminution  of  its  purpose.  It  were  better,  therefore, 
to  avoid  the  danger ;  and  in  this  opinion  a  conscientious 
Christian  would  coincide,  even  at  the  loss  of  some  per- 
sonal comfort. 


LECTURE    XXXVI. 

THE   LORD'S  SUPPER. 

SECOND   LECTURE. 
19 


i 


TWENTY-EIGHTH   AND  TWENTY-NINTH   LORD'S 
DAYS. 

THE  LORD'S   SUPPER. 

(continued.) 

Quest.  LXXYIII.  Bo,  then,  the  bread  and  idne  become  the  very  body  and 
blood  (if  Christ  f 

Ans.  Not  at  all;  but  as  the  water  in  baptism  is  not  changed  into  the  blood 
of  Christ,  neither  is  the  washing  away  of  sin  itself,  being  only  the  sign 
and  contirmation  thereof  appointed  of  God,  so  the  bread  in  the  Lord's 
supper  is  not  changed  into  the  very  body  of  Christ,  though,  agreeable 
to  the  nature  and  properties  of  sacraments,  it  is  called  the  body  of 
Christ  Jesus. 

Quest.  LXXIX.  Why,  then,  doth  Chiist  call  the  bread  his  body,  and  the  cup 
his  blood,  or,  the  New  Testament  in  his  blood;  and  Paul,  the  "  communion 
of  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ  "  ? 

Ans.  Christ  speaks  thus  not  without  great  reason,  namely,  not  only  to 
teach  us,  that,  as  bread  and  wine  support  this  temporal  life,  so  his  cru- 
cified body  and  shed  blood  are  the  true  meat  and  drink  whereby  our 
souls  are  fed  to  eternal  life;  but,  more  especially,  by  these  visible  signs 
and  pledges,  to  assure  us,  that  we  are  as  reallv  partakers  of  his  true 
body  and  blood  (by  the  operations  of  the  Holy  Ghost),  as  we  receive 
by  the  mouths  of  our  bodies  these  holy  signs  in  remembrance  of  him; 
and  that  all  his  sufferings  and  obedience  are  as  certainly  ours,  as  if  we 
bad  in  our  own  persons  suffered  and  made  satisfaction  to  God. 

'T^HIRDLY  :  The  ijurijose  of  the  sacrament  of  the 
supper. 
The  solemn  and  affecting  circumstances  of  its  insti- 
tution by  our  blessed  Lord,  the  peculiar  sti'ess  laid  upon 
its  observance  by  the  apostolical  command,  the  great 
prominence  it  has,  and  has  always  had,  in  the  religious 
services  of  the  church,  the  comfort  derived  from  par- 
taking of  it  by  believers  of  all  ages,  and  the  regard  in 
which  it  is  universallv  held  as  the  most  awful  ceremony 


292  THE   LORD'S    SUPPER.  [Lect.  XXXVI. 

and  august  spectacle  Christianity  offers  to  the  contem- 
plation of  both  Christians  and  the  world,  all  teach  us 
the  high  importance  of  rightly  understanding  its  de- 
sign and  purport,  to  both  of  which,  as  comprehended 
by  one  word,  our  thoughts  must  now  be  directeil. 

From  the  several  considerations  we  have  already 
had  on  the  subject,  we  learn  that,  Avhile  the  sacrament 
of  the  supper  is  an  ordinance  by  which  God  in  salva- 
tion addresses  us,  it  is  also  an  ordinance  in  the  comple- 
tion of  vhich  we  are  to  take  an  active  part.  Hence, 
the  purpose  of  the  sacrament  is  to  be  looked  for  in 
two  directions  :  first,  as  to  what  God  intends  by  this 
sacrament  to  do  for  us  ;  and,  secondly,  as  to  what  he, 
by  this  sacrament,  requires  us  to  do  for  ourselves  and 
for  him. 

1.  What  God  purposes  by  this  sacrament  to  do  for 
his  people.      (75th  Question  and  Answer.) 

a.  To  put  us  and  keep  us  in  remembrance  of  Christ's 
love  towards  us,  especially  as  it  is  manifested  by  his 
death  on  the  cross  for  our  redemption. 

When  our  blessed  Lord,  at  the  institution  of  the 
supper,  uttered  the  gracious,  mandatory  words,  "  This 
do  in  remembrance  of  me  ''  (Luke  xxii.  19),  it  was  in 
close  connection  with  his  other  declarations,  "  This  is 
my  body  which  is  given  [broken  the  apostle  has  it] 
for  you,"  and,  "  This  cup  is  the  new  testament  in  my 
blood,  which  is  shed  for  you."  So  the  apostle :  "  As 
often  as  ye  eat  this  bread  and  drink  this  cuj),  ye  dr. 
show  the  Lord's  death  till  he  come."  It  is  essential  to 
oar  Christian  faith  that  we  recognize  the  doctrines  of 
Christ's  person,  as  the  only-begotten  Son  of  God  incar- 
nate, as  our  brother-man,  and,  also,  that  we  consider 
that  the  vicarious  work  of  Christ,  through  the  merits 


!  h.cT.  XXXVI.J  THE   LORD'S    SUPPER.  293 

of  which  we  are  saved,  covered  his  whole  life  on  eartli  ; 
yet  our  redem])tioii  was  not  accomplished  until  he 
actually  died  on  the  cross.  The  sliedding  of  his  blood, 
the  going  out  of  his  precious  life  there,  was  the  act 
which  gave  vahie  and  consecration  and  acceptance  to 
all  that  he  had  done  and  suffered  before.  That,  as  the 
writer  of  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews  tells  us,  was  "  tlie 
blood  of  the  covenant  wherewith  he  was  sanctified  " 
(x.  29),  and  by  virtue  of  which  satisfying  the  law  in 
room  of  our  death,  he  rose  from  the  dead  (xiii.  20). 
Hence,  "  the  death  of  Christ,"  "  the  blood  of  Christ," 
"  the  cross  of  Christ,"  each  is  used  in  Sci'ipture  as 
synonymous  with  the  whole  work  of  Christ  on  eartli 
for  our  salvation  ;  and,  therefore,  as  our  chur(;h  says  in 
her  form  for  this  sacrament,  "  we  see  that "  our  Lord 
"  directs  our  faith  and  trust  to  his  perfect  sacrifice,  once 
offered  on  the  cross,  as  to  the  only  ground  and  founda- 
tion of  our  salvation."  The  whole  action  and  admin- 
istration of  the  sacrament,  the  exhibition  of  the  ele- 
ments, the  breaking  of  the  bread  and  the  extension  of 
the  wine,  prove  the  same  thing.  Whatever  other 
thoughts,  edifying  and  comfn-ting  and  liortatoiy  to  a 
Christian  life,  we  may  have  in  our  minds,  the  main 
thought,  and  that  which  gives  validity  and  meaning  to 
all,  is  a  faithful  remembrance  of  Christ's  death  on  the 
cross  ;  and  the  sacrament  is  perverted  and  abused  from 
its  purpose  when  the  death  of  Christ  on  the  cross  is 
not  made  the  special  theme  of  our  meditations  and 
object  of  our  faith.  Not  to  use  the  sacrament  for  this 
its  ordained  end,  is  a  crime  against  its  authority,  which 
cannot  be  too  heavily  censured. 

Our  blessed  Lord,  mercifully  mindful  of  our  infirmi- 
ties, our  temptations  within  and  without,  our  liableness 


294  THE   LORD'S    SUPPER.  [Lect.  XXXVI. 

t(j  err,  especially  in  self-righteousness  and  the  pride  of 
a  carnal  ingenuity,  which  substitute  otlier  grounds  for 
our  salvation,  apjjointed  this  sacrament  to  remind  us 
continually  of  his  death  on  the  cross  as  our  only  hope. 
However  at  other  times  we  may  forget  his  love  and 
gracious  authority  in  the  cares  or  pleasures  of  the  world 
and  tlie  flesh,  the  sacrament,  which  exhibits  Christ's 
devoted  love  by  lifting  him  up  on  his  cross,  as  it  were, 
before  our  very  eyes,  rebukes  our  ingratitude,  and  gen- 
erously persuades  us  to  live  only  for  him.  However  at 
other  times  we  may  have  listened  to  the  voice  of  the 
tempter,  teaching  any  other  way  of  salvation,  in  whole 
or  in  part,  than  the  expiation  of  Christ's  blood,  the  sac- 
rament, by  its  simple  and  direct  preaching,  brings  us 
back,  humbled  and  thankful,  to  the  foot  of  the  cross. 
However  we  may  have  suffered  from  the  sophisms  of  a 
base  expediency,  the  doctrines  of  the  cross  to  be  for  a 
time  ignored  and  thrust  on  one  side  to  give  place  to 
some  man-invented  scheme  for  carrying  on  the  work  of 
the  Lord  in  tlie  conquest  of  the  evil  that  is  in  the 
world,  the  sacrament,  by  making  the  gospel  of  Christ's 
death  "  the  wisdom  of  God,"  and  "  the  power  of  God  " 
"  unto  salvation,"  rebukes  our  miserable  policy  as  sin 
against  tlie  very  essence  of  Christianity,  and  refutes  it 
as  folly  in  the  light  of  God's  omniscience.  In  a  word, 
the  sacrament,  rightly  administered  and  received,  is  a 
full  though  brief  compend  of  all  the  religion  which 
Christianity  teaches  and  enjoins  ;  the  most  eloquent 
enunciation  which  God  has  given  of  what  we  are  to 
believe  and  trust  in  and  do,  as  his  servants  and  children, 
through  Christ ;  and  the  most  clear,  palpable  refutation 
of  all  error  in  doctrine  and  practice,  which  the  subtlety 
of  the  devil  and  the  pride  of  human  reason  have  en- 


Lect.  XXXVI.]  THE   LORD'S    SUPPER.  295 

deavored  to  foist  upon  tlie  gospel  of  God,  and  the 
church  of  his  anointed. 

To  this  end,  the  pecuhar  action,  or,  if  I  may  be 
allowed  the  expression,  the  scenic  arrangement  of  the 
sacrament,  were  devised  by  the  holy,  merciful  wisdom 
of  God.  The  divine  Creator,  in  none  of  his  dealings 
with  the  church,  overlooks  the  fact  of  man's  double 
nature,  corporeal  as  well  as  spiritual.  The  very  incar- 
nation of  our  Lord  has  a  reference  to  this  ;  and  our 
adoption  into  the  family  of  God,  as  human  sinners  saved 
by  grace,  is  not  complete  until  we  shall  at  the  last  day 
be  received,  body  and  soul,  into  the  kingdom  on  high, 
where  Jesus,  the  incarnate  Son  of  God,  has  for  us 
entered,  as  the  assurance  that  his  people  shall  all  be 
received  there  and  be  made  like  to  him,  —  not  only  their 
minds  and  hearts  like  him  in  holy  wisdom  and  love,  but 
their  bodies  also  transfigured  into  a  likeness  of  his  most 
glorious  body.  There  we  shall  see  him,  hear  him,  sing 
to  him,  serve  him,  not  only  as  we  now  perceive  him  by 
spiritual  apprehension,  but  really  with  the  senses  and 
faculties  of  our  bodies  ;  yes,  as  reall}-  as  the  disciples, 
enjoying  his  presence  on  earth,  heard  his  articulate 
voice,  saw  and  looked  upon  his  mortal  person,  and 
handled  his  palpable  form  ;  though  with  incomparably 
greater  recognition  of  his  gracious,  adorable  beauty  and 
majesty  and  love,  as  he  sits  upon  the  throne  of  His 
Father,  equal  with  God,  beaming  forth  a  brother's 
sympathy  with  our  joy  in  him,  even  as  when,  in  our 
sorrows,  he  revealed  his  sympathy  with  our  needs. 

The  weakness  of  our  minds,  and  the  disorder  of  our 
bodies,  in  consequence  of  sin,  expose  us  to  much  tenij)- 
tation  from  our  lower  nature,  so  that  Paul  complained 
of  his   incorporated  state  as  a  bondage  and   captivity. 


290  TEIE  LORD'S   SUPPER.  [I.ict.  XXXVI. 

crying  out  in  his  distress  :  "  O  wretched  man  that  I 
am  !  who  shall  deliver  me  from  the  body  of  this  death  ?  ' 
But,  on  the  other  hand,  our  corporeal  faculties  are  of 
great  use  to  us  here  in  exciting,  assisting,  and  obeying 
the  Christian  purposes  of  our  souls.  God,  therefore, 
even  while  stripping  from  the  simple  truth  the  various 
visible,  or,  as  the  a])0stle  calls  them,  "  cai'ual  ordi- 
nances "  of  the  Levitical  ritual,  did  not  overlook  the 
relation  of  the  soul  to  the  bodily  senses,  but  ordained 
the  visible  sacraments,  in  each  of  which  the  spiritual 
thought  is  represented  by  a  lively  figure :  in  baptism, 
the  cleansing  of  Christ's  blood  by  the  api)]ication  of 
water  ;  in  the  Lord's  supper,  the  death  of  Christ  in 
broken  bread  and  poured-out  wine  ;  and  his  doctrine, 
the  spiritual  food  of  the  Christian,  by  the  eating  of  the 
bread  and  the  drinking  of  the  wine. 

As  was  said  before  (twenty-fifth  Lord's  Day),  these 
palpable  ordinances  are  very  simple  and  few,  to  prevent 
our  being  led  into  formality  and  superstition  ;  but,  at 
the  same  time,  they  are  most  eloquently  expressed. 
Thus,  the  celebration  of  the  Lord's  supper  in  a  right 
manner  and  in  a  right  spirit,  that  is,  when  we  "  discern 
i>  the  Lord's  body  "  as  represented  by  the  elements,  has 
always  been  found  to  be  a  great  strengthener  of  our 
faith  and  incitement  of  our  zeal.  It  brings  us  into  the 
very  presence  of  Christ,  around  his  table,  and  among 
his  brethren,  to  recefve  the  grace  he  has  promised  to 
bestow.  We  behold  him  crucified  befoi'e  our  eyes,  and 
know  that  we  derive  our  life  and  the  joy  of  life  from 
the  offering  of  his  body  and  the  shedding  of  his  blood. 
We  feel  that  we  are  one  with  him  and  one  with  each 
member  of  "  his  church,  which  is  his  body,  the  fulness 
of  him  tliat  filleth  all  in  all  "  ;  and,  lookino;  forward  to 


Lect.  XXXVI.]  THE   LORD'S   SUPPER.  297 

the  blessed  day  when  he,  who  was  crucified  and  rose 
from  tlie  dead,  shall  come  again  to  receive  his  people 
where  he  is  in  glory,  we  anticipate  the  blessed,  consum- 
mate joy  of  sitting  down  with  the  church  of  all  ages  at 
the  mari'iage  supper  of  the  Lamb  in  the  upper  sanctu- 
ary, amidst  the  holy  perfections  of  the  eternal  Sabbatli. 
Any  attempt  to  add  anything  to  the  simplicity  of  the 
rite  as  C'hrist  ordained  it,  is  not  only  to  impair  its  valid- 
ity, and  dishonor  the  wisdom  of  its  institutor,  but  also 
to  degrade  and  pervert  it.  If  we  are  not  edified  by  the 
rite  as  our  Lord  ordained  it,  no  invention  of  man  can 
improve  it  for  us. 

h.  Again ;  it  was  the  wise  purpose  of  Christ  to  estab- 
lish on  earth  a  visible  church  which  should  be  the  out- 
ward form  of  his  spiritual  church.  As  he  exhibited  his 
power,  his  wisdom,  his  holy  virtue,  and  compassionate 
grace  before  the  world  in  his  mortal  life,  so  it  is  his  will 
that  his  people  should  openly  follow  his  blessed  exam- 
ple, declaring  his  truth  as  their  trust,  and  vindicating 
the  divine  energy  of  his  saving  grace  by  their  Christ- 
like lives.  For  this  end  it  was  necessary  that  those 
who  profess  his  religion  should  be  visibly  separated  from 
the  woi'ld,  and,  by  appropriate,  significant,  public  ser- 
vices, declare  the  doctrines  and  obligations  of  their 
faith.  Hence  baptism,  or  the  washing  away  of  sin,  is 
the  entrance  of  the  sinner  to  the  church  ;  and  the  par- 
ticipation of  the  Lord's  supper,  by  the  assembled  church, 
is  their  avowal  of  themselves  as  his  family,  and  their 
exhibition  to  the  world  of  the  gospel  of  the  cross  as  the 
only  hope  of  their  salvation,  and  the  only  nutriment  of 
their  spiritual  life.  It  is  a  frequent  repetition,  and  with 
greater  fulness,  of  the  confession  they  made  in  baptism 
before  the  church  and  the  world.     Hence  the  use  of  the 


208  THE   LORD'S   SUPPER.  [Lect.  XXXVI 

Lord's  supper  is  not  for  the  communicant's  own  per- 
sonal benefit  only,  though  that  is  largely  found  in  the 
service,  but  for  the  benefit  of  the  cluu'cli,  in  the  assur- 
ance of  his  fellowship  with  all  her  members,  and  for  the 
benefit  of  the  world,  in  his  testimony  from  experience 
of  the  grace  of  Christ  and  the  truth  of  the  gospel. 
God,  therefore,  by  the  sacrament  means  to  give  us  the 
great  advantage  of  Christian  fellowship,  the  honor  of 
being  witnesses  for  him  before  the  world,  tlie  dignity 
and  reward  of  being  fellow-workers  with  Christ  in  the 
accomplislnnent  of  his  merciful  dominion  over  the 
whole   earth. 

c.  God  purposes,  by  this  sacrament,  to  remind  us  of 
his  gracious  willingness  to  maintain  and  support  our 
Christian  life  by  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost  through 
the  truths  therein  signified.  As  the  disciple  says  in  the 
Catechism  :  "  He  feeds  and  nourishes  my  soul  to  ever- 
lasting life  with  his  crucified  body  and  shed  blood,  as 
assuredly  as  I  receive  from  the  hands  of  the  minister, 
and  taste  with  my  mouth,  the  bread  and  cup  of  the 
Lord  as  certain  signs  of  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ." 

So  in  the  19th  Question  and  Answer :  "  Christ 
speaks  thus  [^'.  e.  calls  the  bread  his  body  and  the  cup 
his  blood]  not  without  great  reason,  namely  ....  to 
teach  us,  that,  as  bread  and  wine  support  this  temporal 
life,  so  his  crucified  body  and  shed  blood  are  the  true 
meat  and  drink  whereby  our  souls  are  fed  to  eternal  life." 

Our  blessed  Lord,  after  his  miracle  of  feeding  the 
multitude  with  five  barlej^  loaves  and  two  small  fishes, 
as  a  parable  of  his  power  and  wMllingness  to  meet  the 
wants  of  all  those  who  trust  in  him,  was  followed  by 
many  people  anxious  to  share  the  benefits,  not  of  his 
teaching,  but  of  his  temporal  bounty;  to  whom  he  said: 


..ECT.  XXXVI.]  THE  LORD'S   SUPPER,  299 

"  Labor  not  for  the  meat  Avhich  perlsheth,  but  for  that 
meat'  which  eiidureth  unto  everlasthig  life,  which  the 
Son  of  man  shall  give  unto  you."  A  little  afterwards 
he  says :  "  I  am  the  bread  of  life  ;  he  that  cometh  unto 
me  shall  never  hunger,  and  he  that  believeth  on  me 
sliall  never  thirst."  From  this  it  is  plain  that  he  speaks 
of  his  tiiith,  or  his  doctrine,  as  the  true  bread  of  the 
Christian  life,  which  endureth  forever  ;  and,  also,  that 
the  manner  of  partaking  of  that  spiritual  food  is  by 
going  unto  him  and  believing  on  him,  for  personal  faith 
in  Christ  is  the  only  way  by  which  we  can  receive 
sanctifying  grace  luito  our  souls.  He  is,  however,  yet 
more  particular,  for  he  again  adds  :  "  I  am  the  living 
[spiritual  or  eternal]  bread,  which  came  down  from 
lieaven  ;  if  any  man  eat  of  this  bread,  he  shall  live 
forever ;  and  the  bread  that  I  will  g'ive  is  my  flesh, 
which  I  will  give  for  the  life  of  the  world."  The 
Jews  were  astonished  at  this,  and,  supposing  that  his 
language  was  to  be  taken  literally,  asked  wonderingly, 
"  How  can  this  man  give  us  his  flesh  to  eat  ?  "  To 
which  he  answered  (as  he  did  to  Nicodemus  when  he 
asked,  "  How  can  a  man  be  born  when  he  is  old  ?  Can 
he  enter  the  second  time  into  his  mother's  womb  and 
be  born  ?  ")  by  repeating  the  assertion  more  strongly  : 
"Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you,  except  ye  eat  the  flesh 
of  the  Son  of  man  and  drink  his  blood,  ye  have  no  life 
in  you.  Whoso  eateth  my  flesh  and  drinketh  my  blood, 
hath  eternal  life,  and  I  will  raise  him  up  at  the  last 
day.  For  my  flesh  is  meat  indeed,  and  my  blood  is 
drink  indeed.  He  that  eateth  my  flesh  and  drinketh 
my  blood,  dwelleth  in  me,  and  I  in  him.  As  the  liv- 
ing Father  hath  sent  me,  and  I  live  by  the  Father,  so 
he  that  eateth   me   shall  live  by  me."      The  disciples 


oOO  THE  LORD'S   SUPPER.  [Lect.  XXXVI. 

themselves  secretly  murmured  at  this,  and  said,  "  This 
is  a  hard  saying;  who  can  hear  [or  receive]  it?"  To 
which  the  Master  replied :  "  Doth  this  offend  you  ? 
What  and  if  ye  shall  see  the  Son  of  man  ascend  up 
where  he  was  before  ?  It  is  the  Spirit  that  quicken- 
eth  ;  the  flesh  profiteth  nothing  ;  the  words  that  I 
speak  unto  you,  they  are  spirit  and  they  are  life." 
From  all  which  it  is  evident,  that  it  is  especially  the 
doctrine  of  his  passion  and  death  for  us  which  is  the 
food  and  drink  of  the  Christian  soul,  assuring  him  of 
his  oneness  with  Christ  and  of  the  resurrection  of  his 
body  at  the  last  day  to  enjoy  the  life  and  immortality 
which  are  brought  to  light  by  the  gospel;  and,  also, 
that  this  benefit  is  confirmed  unto  us  by  no  carnal  par- 
ticij)ation  of  mere  material  elements  signifying  Christ's 
body  and  blood,  for  "  the  flesh  profiteth  nothing,"  and 
"  it  is  the  Spirit  that  quickeneth  "  ;  but  that  "  the 
words,"  or  the  truths  which  he  speaks  concerning  his 
incarnation  and  death  for  us,  when  received  into  our 
souls  by  an  intelligent,  appropriating  faith,  become  our 
true  meat  and  drink  of  life  eternal. 

The  parallel  between  these  passages  in  the  sixth  chap- 
ter of  John  and  those  giving  the  institution  of  the  sup- 
per, is  so  obvious  that  we  believe  none  deny  it ;  and,  if 
so,  our  Lord's  commentary  on  his  own  words  in  the 
one  case  serves  equally  well  for  the  other.  Our  church, 
from  this,  rightly  infers,  that  the  sacrament  signifies, 
by  the  elements  and  our  ])articipation  of  them,  our 
spiritual  nourishment,  or  the  religious  life  of  our  souls 
received  by  faith  in  the  spiritual  doctrines,  which  are 
thereby  set  forth  and  illustrated.  We,  therefore,  deny 
and  reject  the  abominable  heresy  of  the  Papists,  w|ic 
insist  that  our   Lord's   words    must    be  taken   literally 


Lect.  XXXVI.]  THE   LORD'S   SUPPER.  301 

and  that  the  bread  actually  becomes  the  body  of  our 
Lord  and  the  wine  his  blood  ;  for,  says  the  Catechism 
(78th  Question  and  Answer)  :  "As  the  water  in  bap- 
tism is  not  changed  into  the  blood  of  Christ,  neitlier  is 
the  washing  away  of  sin  itself,  being  only  the  sign  and 
confirmation  thereof  appointed  of  God  ;  so  the  bread 
in  the  Lord's  supper  is  not  changed  into  the  very  body 
of  Christ,  though,  agreeably  to  the  nature  and  proper- 
ties of  sacraments,  it  is  called  the  body  of  Christ  Jesus." 
Even  if  the  abhorrent  idea  were  true  and  the  bread  and 
wine  were  so  changed,  our  eating  and  drinking  of  them 
could  not,  our  Lord  being  witness,  profit  us  anything. 
"  The  flesh  profitetli  nothing,"  he  himself  says  in  ref- 
erence to  his  own  assertion  of  the  bread  and  the  wine 
being  his  body  and  blood  ;  "  the  words  that  I  speak  unto 
you,  they  are  spirit  and  they  are  life  "  ;  which  is  equiv- 
alent to  what  he  said  before  :  "  I  am  the  bread  of  life  ; 
he  that  cometh  unto  me  shall  never  hunger  ;  and  he 
that  believeth  on  me  shall  never  thirst." 

But  on  this  point  we  shall  be  required  to  dwell  with 
greater  particularity,  when  we  come  to  consider  what 
our  church  teaches  in  the  80th  Question  and  Answer 
of  the  Catechism. 

Now  let  us  learn  of  God  by  this  sacrament,  that  not 
only  at  the  beginning  of  our  Cliristian  life  we  are 
brought  into  his  kingdom  by  faith  in  the  blood  of 
Christ  for  the  remission  of  our  sins  (which  is  shown  in 
baptism),  but  that  we  continually  need  the  grace  of  the 
Holy  Ghost  through  the  truth  to  maintain  in  our  hearts 
the  principles,  and  in  our  lives  the  practice,  of  the  holy 
religion  which  we  profess.  As  the  Israelites  were  fed 
in  the  wilderness  by  manna  from  heaven,  and  drank  the 
water  fi-om   the  rock,  and   only  in   the  strength  they 


802  THE  LORD'S   SUPPER.  [Lect.  XXXVI. 

derived  from  that  bread  and  water  they  were  able  to 
continue  their  pilgrimage  to  the  promised  land,  so  the 
Christian  draws  all  his  ability  to  follow  Christ,  "  walk- 
ing as  he  also  walked,"  to  heaven,  from  the  doctrines 
of  Christ's  incarnation  and  death. 

So,  also,  is  this  sacrament  often  repeated  to  remind 
us  at  once  of  our  continual  need  and  his  continual  will- 
ingness to  supply  our  wants.  We  are  to  go  in  the 
strength  of  one  Lord's  supper  unto  another,  and  so 
"  from  strength  unto  strength,"  until  we  "  appear  be- 
fore God  in  Zion,"  the  heavenly  Jerusalem.  This  is 
the  meaning  of  the  apostle  when  he  says,  "  Ye  do 
show  the  Lord's  death  till  he  come  ;  "  for  until  he 
comes  and  takes  them  unto  himself  in  glory,  his  follow- 
ers will  need  the  nourishment  of  soul,  which  can  be 
drawn  only  from  faith  in  his  body  broken  and  his 
blood  shed  for  us,  the  warrant  and  assurance  of  our 
eternal  redemption. 

Nor  is  it  only  while  we  ai*e  at  the  Lord's  table  that 
such  blessing  is  extended  and  received.  We  are  to 
keep  the  feast  "•  in  remembrance  of  him."  The  cele- 
bration is  to  prevent  our  forgetting  him,  to  quicken  our 
thoughts  of  him,  and  so  to  pervade  our  minds  at  all 
times  with  those  blessed  doctrines  in  whose  strength 
we  go  forward.  It  were  strange  perversion  of  the 
sacrament  to  allow  ourselves  in  the  ungodly  thought, 
that,  because  we  are  to  remember  Christ's  death  in  the 
celebration,  we  may  cease  to  remember  it  during  the 
intervals  of  its  occurrence.  No,  believers,  the  Chris- 
tian should  be  conscious  of  a  continual  crucifixion  of 
Christ,  a  continual  feeding  on  his  precious  body  and 
blood,  a  continual  strength  derived  by  faith  from  his 
ii-racious   work  and  promises.     We  should  "  desire  to 


Lkct.  XXXVI.]  THE   LORD'S    SUPPER.  303 

know  notliing   else    save   Jesus   Christ  and  him  cru- 
cified." 

d.  There  is  another  doctrine  which  God  in  the 
Lord's  supper  proposes  for  the  confirmation  of  our 
trust  in  him  :  The  incorporation  of  the  behever  with 
the  body  of  Christ, 

This  the  Catecliism  asserts  and  explains  in  the  76th 
Question  and  Answer :  where  we  learn  that  "  to  eat 
the  crucified  body  and  drink  tlie  shed  blood  of  Christ " 
is  ...  "  to  become  more  and  more  united  to  his  sacred 
body  by  the  Holy  Ghost,"  who  dwells  both  iu  Christ 
and  in  us  ;  so  that  we,  though  Clirist  is  in  heaven  and 
we  on  earth,  are,  notwithstanding,  "  flesh  of  his  flesh 
and  bone  of  his  bone  "  ;  and  that  "  we  live  and  are  gov- 
erned forever  by  one  Spirit,  as  members  of  the  same 
body  are  by  one  soul."  Again,  in  the  79th  Question 
and  Answer:  "  Christ  speaks  thus,  \i.  e.  calls  the  bread 
his  body  and  the  cup  his  blood,]  .  .  .  more  especially, 
by  these  visible  signs  and  pledges,  to  assure  us  that  wq 
are  as  really  partakers  of  his  true  body  and  blood  (by 
the  operation  of  the  Holy  Ghost)  as  we  receive  by  the 
mouths  of  our  bodies  these  holy  signs  in  remembrance 
of  him,  and  that  all  his  sufferings  and  obedience  are 
as  certainly  ours  as  if  we  had  in  our  own  persons  suf- 
fered and  made  satisfaction  for  our  sins  to  God." 

When  our  blessed  Lord  assumed  our  human  nature, 
he  condescended  to  represent  in  his  sacred  person  all 
true  believers,  even  his  church  which  he  redeemed  by 
his  most  precious  blood.  As  the  great  sacrifice  of 
atonement,  under  the  Levitical  law,  was  substituted  for 
the  people,  whose  sins  were  laid  on  its  head,  so,  bear- 
ing our  sins  in  his  own  body  on  the  tree,  he  repre- 
sented us  in  the  expiation.     The  typical  victim  perished 


804  THE   LORD'S   SUPPER.  [Lect.  XXXVI. 

wholly,  because  it  could  not  take  away  sii\  ;  but  our 
Redeemer  rose  again  from  the  dead,  because  his  death 
was  a  complete  satisfaction  of  the  law  for  his  'people, 
and  his  mediatorial  })erson,  with  its  entire  humanity, 
body  and  soul,  entered  heaven,  as  our  forerunner,  and 
sat  down  at  the  right  hand  of  God.  In  the  Lord's 
supper  we  show  forth  his  death,  and  the  elements  sym- 
bolize to  us  his  crucified  body  and  shed  blood.  But 
we  "  show  the  Lord's  death  till  he  come."  While, 
therefore,  we  remember  a  crucified  Saviour,  we  declare 
our  trust  in  a  living  Saviour,  who  rose  from  the  grave 
to  complete  our  redemption  by  his  intercession,  author- 
ity, and  grace  ;  as  the  apostle  says  :  "  If,  when  we  were 
enemies,  we  were  reconciled  to  God  by  the  death  of  his 
Son,  much  more,  being  reconciled,  we  shall  be  saved  by 
his  life."  The  representation  of  his  people  is  as  true 
and  ])erfect  in  his  resurrection  and  glory  as  it  was  in 
his  death  and  shame.  The  sacrament  shows  him  to  us 
in  both  aspects,  that  is  to  say,  in  his  sacrifice  for  our 
sins,  and  in  his  glory  as  our  head. 

The  feast  of  the  Paschal  Lamb  commemorated  the 
complete  deliverance  of  Israel  from  Egypt,  therefore 
all  Israel  were  permitted  and  enjoined  to  partake  of 
the  flesh,  which  was  forbidden  to  them  in  the  case  of 
the  sacrifices  of  imperfect  expiation.  They  were  com- 
manded to  eat  of  the  Paschal  Lamb,  because  they  shared 
in  the  salvation  it  commemorated  ;  they  were  forbidden 
to  eat  of  the  other  victims,  because  their  sins  were  yet 
in  the  flesh  of  them.  The  true  passover  having  been 
sacrificed  for  us,  no  victim  of  blood  could  afterward  be 
offered,  so  our  Lord  substituted  bread  as  the  emblem  of 
his  body  ;  and  as  we  live  by  his  doctrine,  through  the 
"•race  of  our  reio-ning  Intercessor,  so  the  bread,  which 


Lect.  XXXVI.]  THE  LORD'S   SUPPER.  305 

broken  represents  liis  expiation  for  us  on  the  cross,  also, 
as  tlie  emblem  of  nourishment,  represents  our  nourish- 
ment and  strength  unto  eternal  life. 

When,  therefore,  we  partake  of  the  sacramental  em- 
blems, we  make  a  double  profession,  of  union  to  him  in 
his  death,  and  union  to  him  in  his  glorified  life.  Our 
church,  in  her  communion  service,  declares  this  :  "  For 
by  his  death  he  liath  taken  away  the  cause  of  our  eter- 
nal death  and  misery,  namely,  sin,  and  obtained  for  us 
the  quickening  Spirit,  that  we,  by  the  same  (which 
dwelleth  in  Christ  as  in  the  head,  and  in  us  as  his 
members),  might  have  true  communion  with  him,  and 
be  made  partakers  of  life  eternal,  righteousness,  and 
glory."  Tiiis  intimate  union  with  Christ  is  described 
by  very  strong  language  in  the  New  Testament  Scrip- 
tures. Evtry  believer  is  a  member  of  Christ's  body, 
and  the  aggregate  church  is  the  body  of  Christ,  he  being 
its  divine  head.  "Now,"  says  the  apostle,  "ye  are 
the  body  of  Christ  and  members  in  particular  "  ;  and 
again,  he  is  "  liead  over  all  things  to  his  church,  which 
is  his  body,  the  fulness  of  him  that  filleth  all  in  all." 
We  become  thus  united  to  him  by  faith  ;  and  every 
one  who  believes  in  him,  that  is,  accepts  and  reHes 
upon  his  mediatorial  suretyship,  is  a  member  of  "  his 
body,  of  his  flesh,  and  of  his  bones." 

Our  eating  and  drinking  of  the  sacramental  emblems 
strikingly  and  naturally  illustrate  this  participation  of 
Christ's  body  and  union  with  it.  We  receive  (as  the 
Catechism  says)  with  the  mouths  of  our  bodies  these 
holy  signs.  They  are  thus  incorporated  with  us  ; 
Christ  (symbolically)  enters  into  us,  and  makes  us  one 
with  him  :  one  with  him  in  his  sufferings  ;  one  with 
him   in   the   glory  which   has   followed   the  sufferings. 

AOL.  u.  20 


306  THE   LORD'S    SUI'PKK.  [Lkct.  XXXVI. 

We  partake  of  his  true  body  and  blood,  not  in  a  gross 
or  carnal  sense,  for  it  is  by  the  operation  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  and,  therefore,  spiritually  through  faith  ;  yet  we 
are  by  the  sacrament  assiu'ed  that  we  were  actually 
represented  by  liis  true  pei'sonal  body  on  the  cross,  and 
are  now  represented  by  his  glorified  body  in  heaven. 
.Vs  he,  by  his  vicarious  expiation,  took  away  the  cause 
of  death,  which  was  sin,  and  we  through  him  receive 
pardon,  so  he,  ha\ing  been  accepted  for  us  by  the 
Father,  derives  from  the  Father  life  for  his  people, 
even  the  grace  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  we  live  by 
that  life  which  is  in  him  as  our  head.  So  the  apostle 
Paul  :  "  I  through  the  law  am  dead  to  the  law  that 
I  might  live  unto  God.  I  am  crucified  with  Christ, 
nevertheless  I  live  ;  yet  not  I,  but  Christ  livetli  in  me  ; 
and  the  life  I  now  live  in  the  flesh  I  live  by  the  faith 
of  the  Son  of  God,  who  loved  me  and  gave  himself  for 
me."  Thus  eacli  believer  becoming  a  member  of 
Christ,  the  whole  church  is  his  body,  animated  in  all 
its  members  by  the  same  life  which  is  in  him,  the  divine 
head,  even  the  Holy  Ghost  which  is  the  Spirit  of  Christ. 
We  are,  therefore,  made  certain  that  Christ's  love  and 
care  of  his  church,  and  of  each  particular  membei-  of  it, 
is  constant,  close,  and  personal.  He  loves  his  church 
as  his  own  body;  its  safety  and  its  glory  is  identical 
with  his  own.  So  the  apostle  :  "  No  m;ui  ever  yet 
hated  his  own  flesh,  but  nourisheth  and  cherishetli  it 
even  as  our  Lord  the  church,  for  we  are  members  of 
his  body,  of  his  flesh,  and  of  his  bones."  The  gracious 
wisdom  of  God  could  go  no  farther  in  asserting  the  full 
salvation  of  all  who,  by  a  true  flvith,  are  united  unto 
Christ. 

It  follows  immediately  from  this,  that,  being  united  to 


Lkct.  XXXVI.]  THE   LORDS    SUPPER.  307 

Christ,  we  are,  by  the  same  act  of  faith,  united  to  his 
true  church,  which  is  his  body,  and  to  each  of  all  the 
members  of  his  church.  We  have  one  life,  one  hope, 
one  strength,  one  nourishment,  with  them.  Their 
interest  is  our  interest,  their  growth  our  growth  ;  our 
interest  their  interest,  our  growth  their  growth.  So 
our  Church,  in  her  communion  service:  "  We  by  the 
same  spirit  may  also  be  united  as  members  of  one  body 
in  true  brotherly  love,  as  the  holy  apostle  saitli :  '  For 
we  being  many  are  one  bread  and  one  body  ;  for  we 
are  all  partakers  of  that  one  bread.'  For  as  out  of 
many  grains  one  meal  is  ground  and  one  bread  baked, 
and  out  of  many  berries,  being  pressed  together,  one 
wine  floweth  and  mixeth  itself  together,  so  shall  we  all, 
who  by  a  true  faith  are  engraftetl  into  Christ,  be  alto- 
gether [all  together]  one  body,  through  brotherly  love, 
for  Christ's  sake,  our  beloved  Saviour,  who  hath  so  ex- 
ceedingly loved  us  ;  and  not  only  show  this  in  word, 
but  in  very  deed  towards  one  another,"  So  again  the 
apostle:  "Holding  the  Head,  from  which  all  the  body 
by  joints  and  bands  having  nourishment  ministered,  and 
knit  together,  increaseth  with  the  increase  of  God  " 
(Coloss.  ii.  19)  ;  and  in  the  parallel  passage  of  the  twin 
epistle :  "  Speaking  the  truth  in  love,  [we  may]  grow 
up  into  him  in  all  things,  which  is  the  head,  even 
Christ :  from  whom  the  whole  body  fitly  joined  together 
and  compacted  by  that  wliicli  every  joint  supplieth,  ac- 
cording to  the  effectual  working  in  the  measure  of  every 
part,  maketh  inci'ease  of  the  body  unto  the  edifying  of 
itself  in  love  "  (Ephes.  iv.  15,  16). 


LECTURE    XXXVJL 

THE    LORD'S    SUPPEK. 

SECOND   LECTURE. 
(completed.) 


TWENTY-EIGHTH   AND   TWENTY-NINTH   LORD'S 
DAYS. 

THE   LORD'S   SUPPER. 

SECOND  LECTURE.     (Completed.) 

TTAVING  considered  what  God  proposes  to  do  for 
his  people  in  the  Lord's  supper,  we  now  should 
learn 

2.  What  he  requires  us  to  do  for  ourselves  and  for 
him  in  our  use  of  the  sacrament. 

The  highest  glory  of  God  in  Christ  is  the  full  salva- 
tion of  his  people  from  death  and  from  sin.  AH  the 
economy  of  gi-ace  is  arranged  and  maintained  for  that 
divine  end.  Hence,  whatever  we  are  enabled  by  the 
grace  of  the  Holy  Ghost  to  do  for  our  own  souls,  or 
those  of  our  fellow-sinners,  in  our  use  of  the  sacrament, 
is  done  for  God,  and,  for  the  same  reason,  the  duties 
required  must  correspond  to  the  benefits  intended. 
Thus,  (a,)  we  have  seen  that  the  main  purpose  of  God 
in  the  sacrament  is  to  put  us  and  keep  us  in  remem- 
brance of  Christ's  love  towards  us,  especially  as  it  is 
manifested  by  his  death  on  the  cross  for  our  redemp- 
tion. It  follows,  therefore,  from  the  analogy  of  faith, 
that  a  cordial  apprehension  of  the  love  of  Christ  cru- 
cified will  have  the  strongest  effect  in  awakening  and 
in  increasing  our  love  to  Christ  ;  and  as  his  love 
towards  us  moved  him  to  die  for  our  salvation,  so  our 
love  towards  him  will  constrain  us  to  live  for  his  glory. 
No  obedience  that  we  may  attempt  to  render  him  will 


812  THE  LORD'S   SUPPER.  [Lect.  XXXVII. 

be  sincere  or  acceptable,  except  as  it  flows  from  our 
love  to  him,  and,  therefore,  by  the  most  generous  of  all 
arguments,  his  undeserved,  devoted,  self-sacrificing  love 
for  us,  he  would  in  the  sacrament  persuade  us  to  follow 
in  his  steps.  Such  being  the  purpose  of  God,  we  should 
conform  ourselves  to  it,  by  fixing  our  contemjilations 
on  Christ  and  his  cross  :  on  Christ  as  our  Saviour,  on 
his  cross  as  the  cardinal  means  of  our  redemption.  We 
are  to  contemplate  his  person  as  the  infinite,  only- 
begotten  Son  of  God,  incarnate,  that,  by  the  sacrifice 
of  his  flesh  and  blood,  he  might  be  our  Rede!_'mer.  We 
are  to  contemplate  him  as  the  Lamb  of  God  bearing 
our  sins,  and  put  to  a  sorrowful,  painful,  shameful 
death,  because  he  undertook  to  answer  and  atone  for 
our  sins.  We  are  to  contemplate  him  rising  again  from 
the  dead  by  the  will  of  the  Father,  whom  it  pleased 
"to  bruise  him  and  put  him  to  grief,"  because  the  infi- 
nite merits  of  his  expiation  fully  satisfied  the  law  for 
us,  and  entitled  him,  by  virtue  of  the  covenant,  to  his 
stipulated  reward,  even  the  consummate  salvation  of 
all  who  trust  in  his  suretyship.  We  are  to  contemplate 
him  on  the  throne  at  the  right  hand  of  the  Father,  in 
his  once  crucified  but  now  glorified  person,  administer- 
ing the  providence  of  nature  and  of  grace,  for  the  full 
accomplishment  of  all  his  merciful  designs  toward  his 
church  which  is  his  body.  We  are  to  contemplate  his 
coming  to  judge  the  world  at  the  last  day,  to  vindicate 
his  ])eo])le,  and  to  receive  them  to  himself  in  his  ever- 
lasting glory,  where  our  eternity  shall  be  filled  with  the 
grateful  memory  and  thankful  enjoyment  of  his  un- 
speakable love.  All  this  is  in  the  sacrament  in  which 
we  "  show  the  Lord's  death  till  he  come."  Thus,  as 
we  see  the  ereat  love  of  him  against  whom  we   have 


Lect.  XXXVIL]  THE  LORD'S   SUPPER.  313 

sinned,  our  hearts  will  be  moved  to  the  source  of  a  true 
repentance ;  and  as  we  see  tiie  greatness  of  the  sacri- 
fice which  alone  could  redeem  us,  we  shall  be  humbled 
from  a  sense  of  our  utter  un worthiness,  while  we  rely 
with  assured  confidence  on  his  mightiness  to  save ;  and 
as  we  see  the  infinite  power  and  wisdom  he  gives  to 
the  care  of  his  church  and  of  his  glory  on  earth,  we 
shall  be  stirred  up  and  strengthened  to  devote  all  our 
faculties  of  mind  and  heart  and  life  to  the  same  glori- 
ous purpose  ;  and  as  we  gaze  in  faith  and  hope  on  the 
future  revelations  of  eternity,  the  misery  of  the  eter- 
nal hell  from  which  he  redeems  us,  the  holy  raptures 
of  the  eternal  heaven  to  which  he  will  exalt  us,  the 
motives  of  the  world  to  come  will  lift  us  above  the 
attractive  temptations  and  malignant  oppositions  of  the 
present  time,  until,  having  our  conversation  in  heaven, 
our  fellowship  with  the  Father  and  his  Son  Jesus 
Christ,  our  companionship  with  the  innumerable  an- 
gels and  the  spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect,  we  shall 
be  "  more  than  conquerors  "  over  "  the  world,  the  flesh, 
and  the  devil,"  "  through  him  that  loved  us." 

Whether,  therefore,  vv^e  consider  our  own  salvation, 
or  our  calling  to  advance  the  glory  of  God  in  our  sal- 
vation, it  is  our  main  and  highest  duty,  in  the  use  of  the 
sacrament,  to  remind  ourselves  of  Christ's  love  for  us, 
especially  in  his  death  on  the  cross.  To  this  should  all 
our  thoughts  be  directed,  not  only  as  we  actually  par- 
take of  the  elements,  but  when  we  prepare  for  the 
sacred  festival,  or  go  from  the  blessed  table  to  the  ac- 
tive service  of  a  Christian  life  ;  for  only  as  our  minds 
are  full  of  thoughts  of  Christ,  will  our  hearts  be  full  of 
the  love  of  Christ ;  and  only  as  our  hearts  are  full  of 
his  love,  will  our  lives  be  to  his  praise. 


314  THE  LORD'S   SUPPER.  [Lect.  XXXVII. 

b.  God,  by  tlie  sacraments,  intends  to  mark  the  sep- 
aration of  his  clmrch  from  the  world  ;  theiefore  is  it 
our  duty,  in  the  sacrament  of  the  supper,  openly  before 
the  Avorld  and  the  church  to  profess  o'ur  faith  in  his 
gospel,  and  to  declare  ourselves  his  disciples,  his  ser- 
vants, and  his  children,  as  we  wei'e  set  apart  to  be  by 
our  holy  baptism.  Such  an  open  confession  of  his 
authority  and  profession  of  his  service  is  due  to  God. 
The  testimony  and  obedience  of  his  people  is  the 
method  bj  Avhich  he  receives  glory  on  earth.  As, 
when  our  Lord  was  proclaiming  his  gospel,  he  proved 
his  divine  .mission  by  miracles,  healing  the  effects  of 
sin  on  the  bodies  of  men,  so,  now  that  he  is  in  heaven, 
he  demonstrates  the  grace  of  his  H(jly  Sj)irit  through 
the  gospel,  by  its  transforming  influence  on  character 
and  life.  If,  from  our  personal  experience,  we  know 
that  there  is  a  vital  power  in  Christianity  to  supply  the 
motives  and  strength  of  a  better  virtue  than  we  could 
learn  or  maintain  from  any  other  source,  the  credit 
should  be  given  where  it  belongs  ;  and,  even  though 
from  our  sinful  weakness  we  come  far  short  of  a  proper 
Christian  example,  we  should  give  our  devout  approval 
of  the  princij)les  which  the  gospel  asserts  and  the  prac- 
tice it  enjoins.  The  world  is  full  of  God's  enemies, 
who  deny  the  reality  of  religion,  and  revile  its  doctrines 
with  its  morals  ;  his  friends,  therefore,  should  not  con- 
ceal themselves,  but  come  out  honestly  and  resolutely 
on  his  side.  Hence  he  declares  such  a  confession  of 
faith  to  l)e  necessary  on  our  part  :  "  If  thou  shalt  con- 
fess with  thy  mouth  tlie  Lord  Jesus,  and  believe  in  thy 
heart  that  God  hath  raised  him  from  the  dead,  thou 
shalt  be  saved  ;  for  with  the  heart  man  belie\eth  unto 
righteousness,  and  with   the   mouth   confession  is  made 


I.ECT.  XXXVII.]  THE  LORD'S   SUPPER.  315 

unto  salvation."  The  confession  is  vain  and  hypocriti- 
cal, if  there  be  not  fl\ith  in  the  heart ;  but  if  the  faith 
be  in  the  heart,  th.ere  will  be  an  open  confession  that 
God  may  be  glorified.  "  For  it  is  written,  whosoever 
believeth  on  him  shall  not  be  ashamed,"  or  "  put  to 
flight."  True  faith  will  never  be  deterred  by  fear  of  the 
woi'ld  from  avowing  itself.  So  our  Lord  :  "  Whosoever 
shall  be  ashamed  of  me  and  of  my  words  [doctrines], 
of  him  shall  the  Son  of  man  be  ashamed,  when  he  shall 
come  in  his  own  glory,  and  in  the  glory  of  his  Father 
and  of  the  holy  angels;"  and  again:  "Whosoever 
shall  confess  me  before  men,  him  shall  the  Son  of  man 
confess  before  the  angels  of  God  ;  and  he  that  denieth 
me  before  men,  shall  be  denied  before  the  angels  of 
God."  How  can  they  who  will  not  avow  Christ  be- 
fore his  enemies  hope  to  be  honored  by  him  before  his 
friends  ? 

It  is,  also,  the  uniform  method  of  God  in  Christ  to 
employ  the  agency  of  believers,  individually  and  collec- 
tively, for  the  advancement  of  his  religion.  Hence  they 
are  called,  as  we  have  seen,  his  "  witnesses,"  his  "fel- 
low-workers," his  "  soldiers";  and  the  church  is  a  dis- 
ciplined "  host,"  or  an  "  army  with  banners,"  of  which 
he  is  "  the  captain."  It  is,  then,  necessary  that  they 
should  be  known,  not  only  to  him  who  reads  the  heart, 
but  to  their  fellow-Christians  and  to  the  world.  There 
is  a  great  work  to  be  done,  and  a  great  tight  to  be 
maintained  ;  therefore  should  they  avow  their  mutual 
sympathy,  be  ready  to  unite  in  their  efforts,  and  to- 
gether present  themselves  to  the  eyes  of  men.  Besides, 
a  man  who  conceals  his  sentiments  and  purposes  is 
never  true  to  them.  The  secret  man  must  disguise 
himself,    but    the    honest    man    is    frank    and    candid. 


316  THE  LORD'S   SUPPER.  [Lect.  XXX VII. 

When  we  liide  our  religion  from  others,  we  cannot  act 
it  out,  but  will  waver  and  deny  it,  as  did  Peter  in  the 
high  priest's  house.  When  we  fairly  take  our  stand, 
our  very  self-respect  and  consistency  will  go  far,  by  the 
grace  of  God,  to  make  us  firm  and  zealous.  Hence 
our  Lord  says :  "  If  any  man  will  come  after  me,  let 
him  deny  himself,  and  take  up  his  cross  and  follow  me." 
We  should  be  as  plainly  known  to  be  Christ's  disciples, 
as  though  the  cross  were  on  our  shoulders  and  we 
were  following  the  Master's  living  person.  The  early 
church  disowned  as  recusants  all  who  did  not  avow 
themselves  to  be  Christians,  though  in  the  face  of  per- 
secutions, tortures,  and  death.  Then  the  confessor  of 
Christ  was  second  in  rank  to  the  martyr  ;  and  there 
is  the  same  reason  for  our  open  confession  now.  He 
must  be  conscious  of  cowardice  who  is,  notwithstand- 
ing his  convictions,  hidden  among  the  crowd  of  Christ's 
enemies  :  he  will  prove  himself  faithless  when  he  is 
tried. 

Therefore  should  we  regard  the  sacrament  as  an 
ordained  means,  the  princi])al  ordained  oi^portunity,  of 
avowing  ourselves  Christians,  to  our  fellow-Christians 
and  to  the  world.  In  taking  our  j^laces  among  the  com- 
municants, we  should  take  our  places  among  Christ's 
friends,  followers,  servants,  witnesses,  and  soldiers,  ready 
to  join  his  people  in  every  good  work  for  his  glory,  the 
ad\ancement  of  his  church,  and  the  salvation  of  sinners. 
We  there  put  our  hand  to  the  plough  not  to  look  back. 
We  assume  our  stand  to  be  "  steadfast,  unmovable, 
always  abounding  in  the  work  of  the  Lord." 

e.  The  work  before  us  is  arduous,  our  weakness  is 
extreme,  our  temptations  are  great,  and  we  are  to  grow 
from  the  littleness  of  "new-born  babes"  to  the  "full 


Lecv.  XXXVII.]  THE   LOKD'S    SUPPER.  317 

stature  "  of  adults  in  Christ  Jesus.  Hence,  God  in  the 
saci'ament  assures  us  of  his  divine  strength,  by  the  grace 
of  the  Holy  Ghost,  through  the  doctrines  of  the  cross. 
This  is  the  significance  of  the  bread  and  the  wine. 
Christ  is  the  life  of  the  believer,  not  only  in  giving  him 
life  by  his  vicarious  death,  but  in  maintaining  his  Chris- 
tian life  Joy  the  truth.  It  is,  as  we  have  seen,  the  doc- 
trine of  the  cross  which  is  the  main  support  of  our 
faith  and  zeal.  "  Except  ye  eat  the  flesh  of  the  Son 
of  man,  and  drink  his  blood,  ye  have  no  life  in  you. 
Whoso  eateth  my  flesh  and  drinketh  my  blood,  hath 
eternal  life  ;  and  I  will  raise  him  up  at  the  last  day. 
For  my  flesh  is  meat  indeed,  and  my  blood  is  drink 
indeed."  So  our  Lord  compares  himself,  or  the  doc- 
trine of  his  person  and  his  passion,  to  the  manna  of  the 
wilderness.  As  the  Israelites  drank  of  the  water  from 
the  rock,  and  ate  of  the  bread  from  heaven,  living  in 
the  strength  derived  from  them  until  they  reached  the 
promised  land,  so  only  from  his  doctrines  can  we  de- 
rive by  faith  the  vigor  and  growth  of  our  piety  until 
the  end,  in  heaven. 

We  should,  therefore,  go  to  the  holy  table,  as  to  a 
supply  of  spiritual  food  and  drink,  to  restore  our  faint- 
ing powers,  to  cheer  our  trembling  hearts,  and  to  ac- 
quire courage  and  vigor,  that  we  may  go  on  toward 
the  consummation  of  our  rest  in  the  fulness  of  Christ's 
glory.  It  should  be  to  us,  not  merely  the  comfort  of 
the  moment,  but  as  a  healthful  meal,  partaken  of  with 
the  keenness  of  hunger  and  thirst,  to  animate  us  for 
future  and  more  determined  labors.  Except  we  pro- 
pose to  ourselves  the  subsequent  labor,  we  have  no  right 
to  the  heavenly  food.  "  The  workman  "  only  "  is 
worthy  of  his  meat."     They  who  have  been   most  dil- 


818  THE   LORD'S   SUPPER.  [Lect.  XXXVII. 

igeiit  in  working  for  Christ,  have  the  best  relish  of  the 
sacrament,  because  their  work  has  stimulated  their 
appetite  ;  they  who  most  ardently  asjjire  to  increasing 
service,  will  have  the  best  blessing  on  their  share  of 
the  feast,  because  God  will  strengthen  his  willing- 
servant. 

d.  The  sacrament  is  a  vivid  representation  of  Christ's 
body,  to  which  all  believers  are  vitally  and  indissolubly 
united  ;  therefore  is  it  our  duty,  as  well  as  our  privilege, 
to  lay  hold  for  ourselves  pf  the  blessed  truth.  It  is  no 
presumption,  but  an  obedient  trust  in  God's  grace,  for 
the  penitent  sinner  to  believe  himself  actually  united 
to  Christ,  —  so  intimately  vmited  as  to  be  crucified  with 
him,  quickened  with  him,  assured  of  glory  witli  him. 
It  is  only  from  this  close  aj)pro})riation  of  Christ's 
suretyship,  that  we  can  be  made  certain  of  pardon,  of 
grace,  and  of  heaven.  Such  acts  of  faith  must  accom- 
pany our  receiving  into  our  mouths  our  portion  of  the 
elements,  or  we  do  not  receive  their  s])iritual  benefits 
which  God  offers. 

The  blessed  effects  of  such  faith  on  the  soul  cannot 
sufficiently  be  estimated.  It  answers  all  our  doubts  of 
mercy;  for  whatever  be  our  guilt,  Christ  has  taken  it 
all  away,  when,  uniting  us  to  his  ])erson  on  the  cross, 
he  for  lis  and  we  in  him  satisfied  the  law  and  died  un- 
der its  penalty.  It  answers  all  our  fears  from  our  own 
weakness,  because  Ave,  by  the  same  spirit  which  quick- 
ened him  from  the  dead,  rise  with  him  into  a  new  life, 
given  by  God  and  maintained  in  us,  as  Christ  HvckI, 
accepted,  justifit'd,  and  sanctified.  It  answers  all  our 
hesitations  in  drawing  near  to  God  and  asking  a  full 
supi)ly  of  all  we  need,  because  Christ  our  head  sits  on 
the  throne  of  grace,  and  has  received  without  measure 


Lect.  XXXVri.]  THE  LOKD'S   SUPPER.  319 

tlie  Holy  Ghost  for  his  body,  even  as  the  abundant  oil. 
poured  on  the  head  of  the  high  priest,  descended  over 
his  whole  person,  "  even  to  the  skirts  of  his  garments." 
It  answers  all  our  questions  for  the  future,  because, 
certaiidy  as  Christ's  glory  followed  his  sufferings,  they 
who  were  united  with  him  on  his  cross  shall  be  united 
to  him  on  his  throne.  It  will  make  us  reverent  and 
devout,  for  how  holy  should  they  be  who  are  members 
of  Christ's  body  !  How  shameful  a  thing  to  pollute  his 
sacred  person  !  It  will  make  us  zealous  in  good  works, 
because,  when  on  our  earth,  he  was  zealous,  and  they 
who  say  they  "  abide  in  him"  ought  themselves  to  walk 
even  as  he  also  walked.  How  can  we  represent  our 
Head,  or  how  feel  that  the  life  which  is  in  him  is  in  us, 
except  we  do  as  he  did,  and  obey  his  will  as  the  body 
obeys  the  spirit.  It  will  inspire  us  with  long-suffering 
charity  for  our  fellow-sinners,  whom  he  pities  s6  much, 
and  bears  with  so  patiently,  and  invites  so  tenderly,  and 
is  ready  to  receive  so  graciousl3\  It  will  unite  us  in 
closest  sympathy  with  our  fellow-Christians  dear  to 
Christ,  and  enjoying  his  sympathy  as  members  of  the 
body  he  has  redeemed,  banishing  from  our  hearts  all 
quarrel  and  schism  and  envy  and  jealousy,  making  us 
ardently  desirous  of  their  growth  in  grace,  because. as 
they  prosper  we  prosper,  and  as  we  prosper  they  pros- 
per. And  it  will  fill  our  souls  with  fervent  aspiring 
expectations  of  our  final  victory  and  consummate  bliss, 
drawing  our  affections  from  things  on  earth  to  things 
above,  where  Christ  sits  at  the  right  hand  of  God,  pre- 
paring places  of  honor  and  bliss  and  light,  and  safe 
eternal  rest;  where  hope,  often  wearied  here,  shall  fold 
her  wings  to  gaze  on  the  rainbow  about  the  throne  ; 
and   faith  put   off   her    sword    and    buckler    to    strike 


820  THE  LORD'S   SUPPER.  [Lect.  XXXVII. 

the  golden  harp  of  triumpli ;  and  love,  satisfied  with 
love,  the  love  of  the  saints,  the  love  of  the  angels,  the 
love  of  Christ,  the  love  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  the  love  of 
the  Fatlier,  transfigure  the  happy,  holy,  exulting, 
thankful  church  from  glory  to  glory. 


LECTURE    XXXVIIL 

AGAINST   TRANSUBSTANTIATION. 


21 


THIRTIETH   LORD'S   DAY. 
AGAINST   TRANSUBSTANTIATION. 

Quest.  LXXX.  What  difference  is  there  between  the  Lord's  sujyper  arid 
the  Popish  mass. 

Ans.  The  Lord's  supper  testifies  to  us  that  we  have  a  full  pardon  of  all 
sin  by  the  only  sacrifice  of  Jesus  Christ,  which  he  himself  has  once  ac- 
complished on  the  cross ;  and  that  we  by  the  Holy  Ghost  are  ingrafted 
into  Christ,  who  according  to  his  human  nature  is  now  not  on  earth, 
but  in  heaven,  at  the  right  hand  of  God  his  Father,  and  will  there  be 
worshipped  by  us:  —  but  the  mass  teacheth,  that  the  living  and  the 
dead  have  not  the  pardon  of  their  sins  through  the  sufferings  of  Christ, 
unless  Christ  is  also  daily  offered  for  them  by  the  priests;  and,  further, 
that  Christ  is  bodily  under  the  form  of  bread  and  wine,  and,  therefore, 
is  to  be  worshipped  in  them;  so  that  the  mass,  at  bottom,  is  nothing 
else  than  a  denial  of  the  one  sacrifice  and  suffering  of  Jesus  Christ, 
and  an  accursed  idolatry. 

TTAVING,  in  our  expositions  of  the  twenty-eiglitli 
■^-'-  and  twenty-ninth  Lord's  days,  discussed  at  lengtli 
the  nature  and  purpose  of  the  Lord's  supper,  we  need 
not  now  to  dwell  upon  what  is  stated  in  the  first  part 
of  the  80th  Answer,  but  may  give  our  whole  atten- 
tion to  the  extraordinary  absurdity  and  idolatrous  wick- 
edness of  the  doctrine  taught  by  the  Papists,  respecting 
the  conversion  of  the  bread  and  wine  of  the  eucharist 
into  the  actual  body  and  blood  of  our  Lord,  which  they 
term  transubstantiation,  and  also  the  offering  of  that 
bread  and  wine  as  a  propitiatory  sacrifice  in  the  mass. 

Let  not  any  object  to  our  proposed  discourse  as  un- 
necessary, because  the  Papist  belief  is  not  worthy  of 
serious   refutation   before  a  Protestant   assembly  ;   for, 


324  AGAINST   TRANSUBSTANTIATION.      [Lect.  XXXVIII. 

let  it  be  remembered,  that,  a  short  time  before  tlie  com- 
position of  our  Catechism,  tlie  views  we  would  con- 
demn were  held  by  nearly  the  whole  of  Christendom, 
and  that  they  prevail  over  the  larger  part  of  it  at  the 
present  time.  The  glorious  Reformation,  which,  by 
making  the  simple  Scriptures  of  God  our  only  rule  of 
faith  and  practice,  greatly  impaired  the  influence  of 
opinions  derived  from  decrees  of  councils  and  asserted 
through  doubtful  tradition,  has  not  accomplished  a  com- 
plete victory  ;  as  we  see  in  the  dominance  of  the  Papal 
system  at  this  day  ;  nor  are  we  without  painful  proof 
"that,  while  many  are  coming  out  from  that  region  of 
the  shadow  of  death  into  the  purer  light,  there  are 
those  so  weak  in  their  religious  judgment  and  con- 
science as  to  leave  the  open  Bible,  with  its  spiritual 
teachings,  for  the  cunningly  devised  fables  of  a  gross, 
carnal  superstition.  Therefore  our  church  commands 
her  ministers  publicly  to  refute,  from  Scripture  and  the 
analogy  of  faith,  these  mischievous  errors,  which  she 
will  continue  to  protest  against  until  the  head  of  the 
old  serpent  is  fatally  crushed  beneath  the  foot  of  our 
triumphant  Lord. 

The  controversy  on  the  points  before  us  has  been 
waged,  as  you  doubtless  know,  for  many  centuries, 
having  enlisted  the  logic  and  learnino;  of  the  keenest, 
most  disciplined  minds.  Papist  and  Protestant ;  so  that 
it  would  be  utterly  impossible  to  handle,  in  a  brief  dis- 
course, matter  about  which  thousands  of  volumes  have 
been  written.  Nor  will  it  be  necessary.  Whatever 
difficulty  they  who  have  been  sophisticated  and  crip- 
pled by  false  education  and  inveterate  bigotry,  may 
find  when  required  to  decide  upon  questions  which 
have  been  tangled  by  Jesuitical  art,  we,  who  rely  only 


Lkct.  XXXVIII]     against   TRANSUBSTANTIATION.  325 

upon  the  sword  of  tlie  Spirit,  can  easily  cut  the  knot. 
God's  holy  word  will  make  all  plain  to  his  "  little  chil- 
dren," who  would  "  keep  themselves  from  idols." 

The  word  mass  is  not  to  be  found  in  the  Scri})tures, 
original  or  translated  ;  nor  was  it  known  in  the  church 
for  the  first  four  centuries.  Its  etymology  is  doubtful, 
but,  among  the  many  attempts  to  trace  its  derivation, 
the  one  generally  received  as  the  most  probable  is 
that  given  by  the  Romish  doctors.  May  it  not  be  a 
corru})tion  from  edere,  to  eat ;  comesa^  cumapa.,  an  eat- 
ing together  ?  They  say  it  is  a  ccnruption  of  the  Latin 
word  missa,  and  came  into  use  from  the  sacrament 
being  administered  after  the  non-communicants  were 
sent  out  of  the  cliurch  by  the  customary  phrase,  Ite, 
missa  est,  —  i.  e.  Go,  the  congregation  is  dismissed. 
Strictly  speaking,  the  mass  signifies  the  prayers  and 
ceremonies  with  which  the  Popish  priests  precede  and 
accompau}^  the  eucharist.  In  process  of  time,  as  the 
corruption  of  the  church  increased,  tlie  mass  came 
rather  to  mean  the  supposed  transubstantiation  of  the 
elements  and  the  offering  of  the  body  and  blood  of  the 
Lord  as  a  sacrifice  for  the  sins  of  the  li\ing  or  dead, 
on  whose  behalf  the  service  was  performed.  It  would, 
however,  be  a  wearisome  folly  for  us  to  recite  all  the 
mummery  and  multifarious  formalities  prescribed  by 
the  highest  ecclesiastical  authority  in  the  missal  or 
mass-book.  We  shall  take  up  only  what  is  brought 
before  us  in  the  80th   Question  and  Answer. 

The  statement  here  made  of  the  Popish  doctrine  has 
two  parts  :  the  first  concerning  the  pretended  offering 
of  Christ's  body  and  blood,  under  the  appearance  of 
bread  and  wine,  as  a  propitiatory  sacrifice  for  sins  unto 
God  the  Father ;  the  second  concerning  tlie  pretended 


826  AGAINST   TRANSUBSTANTIATION.     [Lkct.  XXXVIII. 

conversion  of  tlie  bread  and  wine  of  the  sacrament  into 
the  real  body  and  blood  of  Christ.  But  as  the  first 
error  of  the  sacrifice  properly  follows  or  is  dependent 
upon  the  second,  of  transubstantiation,  we  shall  for 
that  reason  reverse  the  order. 

I.  That  the  Catechism  does  not  represent  the  Popish 
doctrine  unfairly,  will  be  seen  by  reading  the  confession 
of  the  17th  article  of  the  creed,  which  was  established 
by  the  council  of  Trent :  "  I  do  likewise  profess  that  in 
the  mass  is  offered  a  true,  proper,  and  propitiatory  sac- 
rifice for  the  living  and  the  dead  ;  and  that  the  bodv 
and  blood,  together  with  the  soul  and  divinity  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  are  truly,  really,  and  substantially 
in  the  most  holy  sacrament  of  the  Lord's  supper  ;  and 
that  the  whole  substance  of  the  bread  is  turned  into 
the  body,  and  the  whole  substance  of  the  wine  is  turned 
into  the  blood  ;  which  change  the  Catholic  church  calls 
transubstantiation."  The  council  of  Trent  forther 
stated  and  established  the  doctrine  of  their  church  in 
the  following  articles  :  1.  If  any  one  denies  that  there 
is  contained  in  the  most  holy  sacrament  of  the  altar, 
truly,  really,  and  substantially  tbe  body  and  the  blood, 
together  with  the  soul  and  divinity  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  and,  consequently,  the  entire  Christ,  —  if  any 
one  say,  that  he  is  contained  therein  only  in  a  symbol 
or  figure  or  virtue  (grace),  let  him  be  accursed.  2.  If 
any  one  says  that  there  remains  in  the  most  holy  sacra- 
ment of  tbe  altar  the  substance  of  the  bread  and  wine 
together  with  the  life  and  the  blood  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  and  if  he  denies  that  wonderful  and  miraculous 
transformation  of  the  whole  substance  of  the  bread  into 
the  body,  and  the  whole  substance  of  the  wine  into  the 
blood,  while  there  remains  only  the  form  {species,  ap- 


Lect.  XXXVIII.]      AGAINST  TRANSUBSTANTIATION.  327 

pearance)  of  the  bread  and  wine,  wliich  transforma- 
tion is  termed  by  the  Cathoh'c  church  transubstantia- 
tion,  let  him  be  accursed.  3.  If  there  be  any  one  who 
denies  tliat  there  is  contained  in  the  venerable  sacra- 
ment of  the  altar  under  both  sorts,  and,  after  division 
has  been  performed,  under  the  single  parts  of  both 
sorts  [bread  and  wine],  the  whole  Christ,  let  him  be 
accursed.  4.  If  any  one  says,  that,  after  consecration 
has  been  performed,  the  body  and  the  blood  of  Christ 
is  not  in  the  miraculous  sacrament  of  the  altar,  but 
that  it  is  only  during  the  tasting  and  not  before  or 
afterwards,  and  that  there  is  not  in  the  consecrated 
host  [Jiostia^  properly  victim],  or  the  particles,  pre- 
served or  remaining  after  the  celebration  of  the  Lord's 
supper,  the  true  body  of  the  Lord,  let  him  be  accursed. 

5.  If  any  one  says,  either  that  remission  of  sins  be  the 
principal  eflPect  of  the  sacrament  of  the  altar,  or  that 
no   other  results  spring  from  it,  let  him  be  accursed. 

6.  If  any  one  says  that  the  only-begotten  Son  of  God 
is  not  to  be  adored  by  external  worship  in  the  holv 
sacrament  of  the  altar,  and  not  to  be  revered  with  par- 
ticular solemnity  ;  nor  to  be  carried  about  in  proces- 
sions, after  the  praiseworthy  and  universal  usage  of  the 
church  ;  nor  to  be  presented  publicly  to  the  people ; 
and  that  those  who  adore  him  [that  is  in  the  host] 
are  idolaters,  let  him  be  accursed.  7.  If  any  one  says 
that  it  is  not  permitted  to  keep  the  holy  eucharist  in 
the  pyx,  but  that  it  must  be  distributed  immediately 
after  the  consecration  to  the  by-standers,  or  that  it  is 
not  permitted  to  bear  it  reverentially  to  the  sick,  let 
him  be  accursed.  8.  If  any  one  says  that  the  Christ 
offered  in  the  eucharist  is  tasted  only  spiritually,  and 
not   sacramentally   and    really,   let   him    be    accursed. 


328  AGAINST  TRANSUBSTANTIATION.       [Lect.  XXXVIII. 

9.  If  any  one  denies  that  all  Christian  believers  of 
either  sex,  as  soon  as  they  are  arrived  at  years  of  dis- 
cretion, are  bound,  after  the  command  of  the  holy 
Catholic  church,  to  communicate,  at  least  on  Easter  in 
each  year,  let  him  be  accursed.  10.  If  any  one  denies 
that  it  is  not  permitted  to  the  officiating  priest  to  ad- 
minister the  sacrament  to  himself,  let  him  be  accursed. 
11.  If  any  one  says  that  faith  alone  is  a  sufficient  prep- 
aration for  the  enjoyment  of  the  holy  sacrament,  let 
him  be  accursed.* 

Were  these  not  a  close  translation  of  the  decrees 
solemnly  adopted  and  issued  by  the  council  of  Trent, 
you  might  well  suspect  that  the  statement  made  by  our 
church  was  an  exaggerated  slander  on  the  church  of 
Rome  ;  as  it  is,  your  Protestant  reason  can  hardly 
believe  that  so  large  a  body  of  people,  professing  to 
acknowledge  the  Scriptures  of  divine  revelation,  really 
consent  to  the  most  remarkable  imposition  on  human 
credulity  that  has  ever  been  attempted  by  designing 
or  fanatical  men.  But  the  painstaking  particularity 
with  which  the  council  puts  forth  the  preposterous 
dogma  allows  no  room  for  charity  to  plead  that  they 
mean   otherwise  than  as  they  say. 

Their  doctrine  is  :  1.  That  at  the  moment  the  priest 
utters  the  consecrating  words,  the  whole  substance  of 
the  bread  and  wine  is  changed  into  the  true,  real,  and 
substantial  body  and  blood  of  Christ,  containing  his 
spiritual  soul  and  adorable  divinity. 

2.  That,  notwithstanding  the  elements,  as  presented 
to  our  senses,  remain  to  all  perception  the  same  as  be- 

*  This  translation  is  copied  from  the  article  3fass  in  the  "  Encyclopaedia 
Americana,"  to  which  it  was  furnished  by  a  Roman  Catholic.  It  is  inele- 
gant, but  correct. 


Lect.  xxxyiii.]    against  transubstantiation.        329 

fore  their  consecration,  only  their  perceptible  accidents 
remain,  but  none  of  their  substance,  the  substance  being 
the  body  and  blood  of  Christ. 

3.  That  the  whole  Christ  is  contained  in  each  part 
A  of  the  sacrament,  in  that  which  was  the  bread  and  in 
that  which  was  the  wine  ;  and  this,  also,  in  each  sub- 
division or  particle,  however  minute,  of  each  of  them. 
\4.  That  the  body  and  blood,  soul  and  divinity  of 
ClVist  is  contained  in  both  parts  of  the  sacrament  from 
the  moment  of  the  priest  pronouncing  the  transubstan- 
tiatii\g  words  (^Hoc  est  corpus  meum'),  and  so  long  as  the 
elements  retain  their  species,  or  appearance  of  bread 
and  wine. 

5.  That  the  fact  of  the  transubstantiation  is  in  no 
way  dependent  on  the  faith  either  of  the  officiating 
priest  or  of  the  participator,  but  is  accomplished  solely 
by  the  virUie  of  the  w^ords  Hoc  est  corpus  7nemn,  pro- 
nounced by  the  ordained  priest,  as  prescribed  by  the 
ritual. 

This  whole  doctrine  the  Reformed  churches  deny 
and  protest  against : 

1.  Because  it  has  no  foundation  in  Holy  Scripture. 

The  Papist  asserts  that,  when  our  Lord,  at  the  insti- 
tution of  the  supper,  took  bread,  and,  having  broken  it, 
said,  "  This  is  my  body  broken  for  you,"  and  after- 
wai'ds  took  the  cup  and  said,  "  This  cup  is  the  new 
testament  in  my  blood,"  he  meant  that  the  bread  was 
actually  transubstantiated  into  his  body,  and  the  wine 
into  his  blood.  Tiie  whole  controversy,  so  far  as  we, 
who  give  no  heed  to  mere  church  authority,  are  con- 
cerned, hinges  on  this  point. 

We  deny  that  our  Lord  intended  by  the  words  in 
question   anything  more  than  that  the  bread  and  wine 


830  AGAINST  TRANSUBSTANTIATION.      [Iect.  XXXVIII. 

were   significant  representations  of  his   true  body  and 
blood  offered  on  the  cross. 

Our  Lord,  adopting  the  usages  of  human  speech, 
was  accustomed  to  illustrate  spiritual  truths  by  fignres  ; 
and  to  insist  upon  our  taking  such  blessed  words  of  his 
literally,  would  be  to  make  his  teachings  utterly  ridicu- 
lous and  incomprehensible.  Thus,  when  he  told  Nico- 
demus  that  he  must  be  born  again,  and  Nicodemus, 
with  a  Papist-like  stu})idity,  asked,  "  How  can  a  nan 
be  born  when  he  is  old  ?  "  he  explained  it  by  giving  the 
spiritual  meaning  of  the  new  birth.  So  when  he  said 
at  another  time,  "  If  any  man  will  come  after  rie,  let 
him  deny  himself  and  take  up  his  cross  and  follo'v  me," 
it  is  admitted  on  all  hands  that  the  follower  of  Christ  is 
not  required  actually  to  carry  a  cross  on  his  snoulders, 
but  to  bear  faithfully  the  reproach  of  Christ  before  the 
world.  He  said .  to  Peter  :  "  Thou  art  Peter,  and  on 
this  rock  1  will  build  my  church  ;  "  by  which  the  Papists 
understand  that  the  church  is  established  on  the  su- 
premacy of  Peter,  but  by  no  means  suppose  that  Peter's 
person  was  transubstantiated  into  a  rock,  or  that  the 
church  rests  actually  on  him.  For  elsewhere  he  said 
unto  Peter  :  "  Get  thee  behind  me,  Satan  ;  "  which,  if 
the  words  be  taken  literally,  would  be  to  assert  that 
Peter  was  changed  into  Satan,  and,  therefore,  that  their 
church  was  built  on  the  devil,  — a  fact,  probable  enough, 
but  one  they  would  be  far  from  admitting.  At  the 
well  of  Sychar  he  offered  unto  the  woman  "living 
water,"  and  added,  in  reply  to  her  wondering  question, 
"  Whosoever  shall  drink  of  the  water  that  I  shall  give 
him  shall  never  thirst,  and  the  water  that  I  shall  give 
him  shall  be  in  him  a  well  of  water  springing  up  into 
everlastin":  life."     "  Livinc  water  "  is  runnino;  water ; 


Lect.  XXXVIII.]      AGAINST   TRANSUBSTANTIATION.  331 

yet  will  the  Papist  assert  that  our  Lord  gave  the  woman 
runnino-  water,  or  that  the  Christian's  heart  is  actually 
an  eternal  fountain  of  running  water?  The  Baptist 
pointed  him  out  to  his  disciples  as  the  Lamb  of  God  ; 
but  was  he  actually  a  lamb  ?  or  was  that  word  used  to 
declare  him  the  sacrifice  appointed  for  sin  ?  He  calls 
Christians  his  sheep  ;  are  they  actually  sheep,  or  only 
like  him  in  his  meekness,  and  the  objects  of  his  peculiar 
care  ?  He  calls  himself  "  the  door  of  the  sheep,"  and 
"  the  true  vine  "  ;  was  he  transubstantiated  into  a  door 
or  a  vine  ?  Each  of  these  assertions  are  as  positive  as 
his  saying,  "This  is  my  body;"  and  if  this  last  must 
be, taken  literally,  so  must  they  all. 

In  the  sixth  chapter  of  John,  which  is  especially  relied 
on  by  the  Papists  to  prove  their  dogma,  he  said,  "  I  am 
the  bread  of  life  ;  "  was  he  at  that  moment  transub- 
stantiated into  bread  ?  Again,  he  says  of  himself  that 
he  was  "  the  bread  that  came  down  from  heaven  "  ; 
did  he  come  down  from  heaven  in  the  substance  of 
bread  ?  If  then,  because  he  said  "  This  is  my  body," 
the  bread  was  transubstantiated  into  his  body,  it  follows 
that,  because  he  declared  himself  to  be  bread,  his  body 
was  transubstantiated  into  bread  ;  yet  the  Papist  anath- 
ematizes those  who  do  not  deny  that  any  substance  of 
bread  remains  in  the  host.  So  again  our  Lord  said, 
"  This  cup  is  the  new  testament  in  my  blood  ;  "  not 
the  cup^  the  ^cine  in  the  cup  ;  and  if  we  must  take  his 
words  literally,  the  cup  was  transubstantiated  into  Ids 
blood,  or  lather  into  the  new  covenant,  of  which  the 
blood  of  Christ  was  the  meritorious  cause.  Into  such 
absurdities  does  the  Papistical  rule  of  understanding 
our  Lord's   words  literally  betray  us. 

But  the  apostle  Paul,  in  the  tenth  and  eleventh  chap- 


382  AGAINST   TRANSUBSTANTIATION.      [Lect.  XXXVIII. 

ters  of  1  Corinlliians,  in  effect  denies  the  transubstan- 
tiation  of  the  elements ;  for  he  says  :  "  The  cup  of 
blessing  which  we  bless,  is  it  not  the  communion  of  the 
blood  of  Christ  ?  The  bread  which  we  break,  is  it  not 
the  communion  of  the  body  of  Christ  ?  "  Again  :  "  As 
often  as  ye  eat  this  bread  and  drink  this  cup,  ye  do  show 
the  Lord's  death  till  he  come.  Wherefore,  whosoever 
shall  eat  this  bread  and  drink  this  cup  of  the  Lord  un- 
worthily, shall  be  guilty  of  the  body  and  blood  of  the 
Lord."  Here  tlie  first  element  is  called  bread,  and  the 
second  the  cup,  or  wine,  after  what  the  Papist  considers 
the  moment  of  transubstantiation,  that  is,  the  utterance 
of  the  formula  Hoc  est  corpus  77ieum  ;  because  he  speaks 
of  the  bread  broken  and  both  elements  partaken  of  by 
the  communicant.  Now,  says  the  council  of  Trent : 
"  If  any  one  says  that  there  remains  in  the  most  holy 
sacrament  of  the  altar  (^.  e.  in  the  elements)  the  sub- 
stance of  the  bread  and  wine  together  with  the  life  and 
blood  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  "  and  "  if  any  one  says 
that,  after  consecration  has  been  performed,  the  body 
and  the  blood  of  Christ  is  not  in  the  miraculous  sacra- 
ment of  the  altar,  but  that  this  is  only  during  the  tast- 
ing, neither  before  nor  afterwards,  ...  let  him  be 
accursed."  But  the  apostle  Paul  calls  the  elements 
bread  and  wine  after  the  consecration  and  during  the 
tasting,  therefore  the  apostle  is  anathematized.  Our 
Lord  himself,  after  distributing  the  cup,  said,  "  I  will 
drink  no  more  of  the  fruit  of  the  vine,  until  that  day 
that  I  drink  it  new  in  the  kingdom  of  God."  This  is 
contrary  to  the  council  of  Trent.  Will  they  anathe- 
matize our  Lord  ?  The  Papists  lay  great  stress  upon 
our  Lord's  words  in  John  vi.  53-57  :  "  Except  ye  eat 
the   flesh   of  the   Son  of  man,  and   di'ink    his   blood,  ye 


Lkct.  XXXVIIl.]       AGAINST   TRANSUBSTANTIATION.  333 

have  no  life  in  you,"  &e.  But  what  does  our  Lord  add 
to  these  declarations  :  "  This  is  that  bread  which  came 
down  from  heaven ;  not  as  your  fathers  did  eat  manna, 
and  are  dead  ;  he  that  eateth  of  this  bread  shall  live 
forever."  Here  our  Lord  himself  contradicts  the  coun- 
cil of  Trent  by  calling  his  body,  of  which  the  commu- 
nicant is  to  eat,  bread.  He  adds  still  further:  "It  is 
the  Spirit  that  quickeneth  ;  the  flesh  profiteth  nothing  ; 
the  words  that  I  speak  unto  you,  they  are  spirit  and 
they  are  life."  What,  then,  can  be  clearer  than  that, 
when  our  Lord  calls  the  bread  and  wine  of  the  sacra- 
ment his  body  and  blood,  he  means  that,  in  receiving 
these  elements,  we  receive  spiritually  by  faith  the  bless- 
ings purchased  by  his  atonement,  and  that  through  such 
faith  we  derive  life  ? 

2.  The  doctrine  of  transubstantiation  is  thus  op- 
posed to  the  whole  tenor  of  Scripture,  which  declares 
that  we  are  saved  through  faith  in  the  truth  of  the 
gospel,  and  that  all  external  acts  are  valueless,  except 
so  far  as  they  are  manifestations  of  such  inward  faith. 
Even  were  the  abhorrent  thing  possible  that  we  should 
cat  the  actual  flesh  of  Christ,  and  drink  his  actual 
blood,  it  could  not  benefit  or  in  any  way  reach  our 
souls,  which  can  be  affected  only  by  truths  received 
and  held  in  a  spiritual  faith.  We  are  not  to  look  for 
Christ  in  any  corporeal  presence  on  earth,  but  to  "  lift 
up  our  hearts,"  or  "  set  our  afi^ections  on  things  above, 
where  Christ  sitteth  at  the  right  hand  of  the  Father." 

8.  The  asserted  transubstantiation  is  contrary  to  rea- 
son and  the  evidence  of  our  senses.  This  the  Papists 
admit,  but  assert  that  it  is  to  be  received  as  a  matter  of 
faith  ;  for  with  God  all  things  are  possible  ;  and,  there- 
fore, when  our  Lord  declares  the  bread  and  the  wine 


834  AGAINST   TRANSUBSTAXTIATION.      [Lect.  XXXVIII. 

to  be  his  body  and  blood,  we  are  bound  to  believe  him, 
the  testimony  of  our  senses  and  the  judgment  of  our 
reason  to  the  contrary  notwithstanding.  To  tliis  we 
answer,  that  there  are  certain  things  which  are  impos- 
sible witli  God,  because  they  would  be  inconsistent 
with  himself.  Thus,  "  it  is  impossible  that  God  should 
lie,"  or  that  he  should  deceive,  which  he  must  be  sup- 
posed to  do  in  the  case  of  transubstantiation  ;  for  it 
demands  that  we  should  believe  a  thing  which  has 
every  accident,  quality,  or  property  of  bread  or  wine, 
to  be  another  thing,  the  flesh  or  blood  of  Christ,  when 
it  has  no  accident,  quality,  or  property  of  flesh  or  blood. 
How  do  we  know  any  one  to  be  that  particular  thing, 
and  not  any  other  thing,  but  by  its  accidents  or  quali- 
ties or  properties  ?  Thus  we  know  bread  and  wine 
to  be  bread  and  wine  by  their  form,  color,  taste,  and 
effects.  Take  these  all  away  from  them,  and  they 
cease  to  be  bread  and  wine  ;  nor  can  that  be  flesh  and 
blood  which  has  not  the  particular  qualities  of  flesh 
and  blood,  but  appears  with  the  particular  qualities  of 
bread  and  wine.  In  other  words,  it  is  no  blasphemy  to 
deny  that  God  can  make  one  thing,  while  its  distinctive 
properties  are  retained,  to  be  another  thing.  The  Pa- 
pists' reply  to  this  is,  that  the  substance  of  the  bread 
and  wine  is  changed,  but  their  properties  or  perceptible 
qualities  are  not  changed  ;  and  that  it  is  not  bread  and 
wine,  but  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ ;  not  under  the 
form  (jijjecies^  of  flesh  and  blood,  but  i;nder  the  form 
(^species')  and  with  the  ])erceptible  qualities  of  bread 
and  wine.  What  do  we  know  of  substance,  except  as 
that  uudiscernible  essence  in  which  the  qualities  of  a 
thing  subsist?  Hence  we  can  know  of  the  substance 
of  a   thing   only   by   the   discernible   qualities   of  that 


Lect.  XXXVIII.]       AGAINST   TKANSUBSTANTIATION.  335 

thing.  If  we  perceive  the  peculiar  qualities  of  bread 
and  wine,  we  are  compelled  by,  the  nature  God  has 
given  us  to  believe  that  they  subsist  in  the  substance  of 
bread  and  wine.  If  we  do  not  perceive  the  peculiar 
qualities  of  flesh  and  blood,  we  cannot  believe  that  the 
substance  of  flesh  or  blood  is  there  ;  because  the  per- 
ceptible qualities  are  the  peculiarities  by  which  God 
orders  that  we  should  distinguish  thino-s  from  other 
things. 

But,  say  they,  it  is  a  miracle  and  a  mystery,  and 
must  be  received  by  faith,  not  by  corporeal  sense  or 
reason.  We  answer,  it  is  not  a  miracle,  but  a  contra- 
diction. A  miracle  is  a  divine  work  submitted  to  the 
evidence  of  our  senses,  as  when  the  water  was  turned 
into  wine.  There  was  then  an  actual  change  of  the 
qualities  of  the  water  into  the  qualities  of  the  wine. 
Had  there  been  no  such  change  of  qualities,  there 
would  have  been  no  miracle,  because  there  was  no 
submitting  of  the  work  to  the  senses.  So  it  is  not  a 
mystery.  A  mystery  is  a  fact,  the  reality  of  which  we 
know,  but  the  mode  of  which  is  above  our  understand- 
ing. The  doctrine  of  the  Trinity  is  a  mystery,  because 
it  concerns  the  mode  of  God's  infinite  beino;.  The  fact 
of  the  subsistence  of  three  divine  persons  in  one  God, 
w^e  know  from  divine  testimony  ;  but  the  mode  of  such 
subsistence  is  infinitely  above  our  reason.  In  transub- 
stantiation,  the  object  is  perfectly  within  our  capacity 
of  observation,  while  the  asserted  fact  is  contrary  to 
every  rule  of  evidence  by  which  God  requires  us  to  try 
such  facts.  Can  God  contradict  himself,  by  requiring 
us  to  believe  that  which  is  contrary  to  what  he  has 
taught  us  to  believe  ? 

There  are  other  absurdities.     The  flesh  and  blood, 


336  AGAINST  TRANSUBSTANTIATION.      [Lect.  XXXVIII. 

or  body  of  Christ,  is  a  human  body.  A  human  body 
is,  as  to  its  essence  and  quahties,  finite,  and  limited  to 
a  certain  portion  of  space,  that  is,  it  cannot  be  in  two 
separate  ])laces  at  the  same  time.  Is  it,  then,  possible 
that  one  and  the  same  human  body  can  be,  at  the  same 
moment,  in  lieaven  and  in  earth  ?  nay,  in  ten  thou- 
sand different  places  on  earth  widely  apart?  —  and  that 
it  is  infinitely  multiplicable,  so  that  each  minute  parti- 
cle of  what  was  once  bread  and  wine  is  its  whole  self, 
the  actual,  perfect  body  of  Christ?  Can  they  avoid 
the  absurdity  that  there  are  as  many  bodies  of  Christ 
as  there  are  particles  of  broken  bread,  or  portions  of 
distributed  wine  ?  That  the  divinity  of  Christ  is  every- 
where present,  we  know  from  its  infiniteness  ;  that  the 
humanity  of  Christ  cannot  be  in  more  than  one  place 
at  the  same  time,  we  know  from  its  finiteness.  The 
more  astute  Papists  have  attempted  to  meet  this  by 
asserting  of  his  body  a  miraculous  or  "  supernatural  " 
manner  of  existence,  by  which,  being  without  exten- 
sion of  parts  rendered  independent  of  space,  it  may  be 
one  and  the  same  in  many  places  at  once,  and  whole  in 
every  part  of  the  symbols,  and  not  obnoxious  to  any 
corporeal  contingencies.*  What  ridiculous  self-con- 
tradiction !  Independent  of  space,  yet  occupying  space 
in  many  places  ;  separate  as  particles,  yet  whole  in 
each  particle  ;  continuing  as  a  corporeal  substance,  yet 
subject  to  no  corporeal  contingency  !  A  human  body, 
without  any  properties  of  a  human  body  !  The  fact  of 
our  Lord's  human  body,  or  body  in  all  points  like  our 
own,  having  been  raised  from  the  dead  and  translated 
into  glory,  is  full  of  comfort  to  us,  because  it  assures 
us  of  his  sympathy ;  but  that  comfort  is  all  taken  away 

*  Gotlur,  as  cited  bv  Fletcher. 


Lkct.  XXXV III.]      AGAINST   TEANSUBSTANTIATION.  337 

when  his  body  ceases  to  be  like  a  human  body,  by 
being  freed  from  corporeal  contingencies. 

4.  The  doctrine  of  transubstantiation  is  most  abhor- 
rent to  our  moral  sensibilities. 

There  is  scarcely  anything  more  shocking  than  the 
eating  of  human  flesh  or  the  drinking  of  human  blood. 
Cannibalism  is  the  most  degrading  vice  of  the  most 
brutal  savages,  and  is  scarcely  resorted  to  by  educated 
people  even  in  the  last  extremity  of  famine.  Yet  the 
Papist,  when  partaking  of  the  sacrament,  is  required 
under  pain  of  anathema  to  believe  that  he  actually 
breaks  with  his  teeth  and  swallows  the  most  holy  body 
of  our  divine  Lord,  which,  under  the  mumbling  of  a 
priest,  has  been  made  out  of  the  bread  and  the  wine. 
There  is  nothing  in  the  worst  rites  of  heathenism  so 
horrible  as  this.  Nay,  the  council  of  Trent  teaches 
that  the  spiritual  soul  and  proper  divinity  of  our  Lord 
is  contained  in  the  sacrament  so  that  we  take,  with  the 
sacrament,  the  spiritual  soul  and  divinity  of  our  Lord 
into  our  mouths  and  thence  into  our  bodies. 

They  contend,  also,  that  the  body  and  blood  of  the 
Lord  remain  in  the  elements  so  long,  and  only  so  long, 
as  they  retain  the  species  or  form  of  bread  and  wine. 
Portions  of  the  host  may  remain  in  the  pyx  after  the 
communion,  yet  continue  the  body  of  Christ.  But  the 
wafer  retaining  the  properties  of  the  bread,  though 
not  its  substance,  is  therefore  liable  to  corruption,  by 
which  it  is  dissolved  ;  so  that  corruption  is  the  method 
by  which  the  miracle  (so  called)  is  limited  and  the 
body  of  the  Lord  destroyed  ;  even  that  sacred  body  of 
which  the  Holy  Ghost  has  twice  said,  it  shall  not  see 
corruption.  The  portions  that  are  eaten,  each  contain- 
ing the  whole  Christ,  pass  into  the  bodies  of  the  partici- 

VOL.  II.  22 


338  AGAINST   TKANSUBSTANTIATION.      [Lect.  XXXVIII. 

pants,  and  then  are  subject  to  the  process  by  which  all 
food  and  drink  lose  their  species  and  are  clianged  into 
different  substances  ;  and  this  process  destroys  or  dis- 
solves the  most  sacred  and  glorified  body  of  our  divine 
Lord.  These  are  the  disgusting  consequences  which 
inevitably  result  from  the  desperate  perversions  of  Pop- 
er3%  We  adore  that  one  day,  which  to-morrow  is 
changed  into  corruption.  We  adore  that  at  one  mo- 
ment, which  in  another  we  cat  and  swallow.* 

Dear  brethren,  how  sad  is  the  superstition,  in  the 
lionest  exposure  of  which  we  are  comj)el]ed  to  mingle 
with  our  most  precious  thoughts  such  painfully  offen- 
sive associations  ! 

This  argument  will  suffice  to  establish  our  denial  of 
transubstantiation,  and  we  may  be  glad  that  the  disa- 
greeable, though  necessary,  duty  is  over.  We  now 
pass  to  treat,  as  proposed  in  our  order,  of 

11.  The  oblation  of  the  sacrament  as  a  sacrifice  for 
sin. 

The  Papist  holds  that  the  priest,  having  instrumen- 
tally,  by  using  the  words  Hoc  est  corpus  meum^  transub- 
stantiated the  elements  into  the  body  and  blood  con- 
taining the  soul  and  divinity  of  our  Lord,  offers  that 
body  and  blood,  or  the  whole  Christ,  as  a  sacrifice  of 
adoration,  thanksgiving,  merit,  and  expiation  to  God  on 
behalf  of  both  the  dead  and  the  living.  It  follows, 
therefore,  that  if,  as  we  have  shown,  there  be  no  tran- 
substantiation, there  can  be  no  offering  of  Ciu'ist,  as 
pretended,  in  the  mass.     Yet  we  add  a  few  other  sug- 

*  That  we  have  not  misstated  the  Romish  views  on  this  suhject,  maj'  be 
seen  from  tiu;  flict,  that  the  priest  about  to  officiate  and  the  uommunicant 
intenrling  to  participate  in  the  sacrament  are  required  to  fast  from  twelve 
o'clocic  of  the  night  before,  lest  any  other  substance  might  mingle  in  their 
digestion  witli  the  host. 


Lect.  XXXVIII.]      AGAINST   TRANSUBSTANTIATION.  339 

gestions  in  accordance  with  the  teachings  of  our  Cate- 
chism. 

1.  The  sacrament  cannot,  in  any  proper  sense,  be  a 
sacrifice,  because,  according  to  our  Lord's  institution  of 
it,  it  is  an  ordinance  commemorative  of  his  death  for 
our  sins,  on  the  cross.  "  This  do,"  said  he,  "  in  remem- 
brance of  me."  "  As  often  as  ye  eat  this  bread  and  drink 
this  cup,"  says  the  apostle,  "ye  do  show  the  Lord's 
death  till  he  come."  But  the  mass  pretends  to  be  a 
repetition,  not  a  memorial.  Our  Lord  said  not  a  word 
of  its  being  a  sacrifice  to  God,  but  treats  it  altogether 
as  a  service  of  faith,  profitable  to  our  own  souls,  because 
it  carries  back  our  thoughts  to  his  atonement,  made  and 
finished  on  the  cross.  So  throughout  the  apostolical 
writings  there  is  not  a  word  of  trust  in  anything  else 
but  the  cross  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ ; 
whereas  the  Papist  would  have  us  put  our  reliance  on 
another  sacrifice  of  Christ,  as  they  pretend,  in  the  ob- 
lation by  the  priest.  What  Christian  can  allow  such  a 
denial  of  the  sufficiency  of  the  great  atonement  ? 

2.  If  Christ  enter  the  sacrament  to  be  offered,  it  is 
necessary  that  he  should  come  from  heaven  to  earth  ; 
which  is  contrary  to  his  own  and  the  apostolical  decla- 
rations. For  our  Lord  told  his  disciples  that  his  going 
away  was  expedient  for  them,  because,  if  he  went  not 
away,  the  Comforter  would  not  come  ;  but  that  he 
would  come  again  to  i^eceive  them  unto  himself  in 
the  places  he  had  prepared  for  them  ;  whence  it  is 
clear  that  his  coming  is  to  be  at  the  time  he  would  so 
take  them  with  him  into  heaven.  He  cannot,  there- 
foi'e,  come  to  us  personally  in  the  sacrament,  and  will  not 
until  he  comes  to  his  final  triumph  ;  which  the  apostle 
means  when  he  says  we  "  show  the  Lord's  death  till  he 


340  AGAINST   TRANSUBSTANTIATION.      [Lixt.    XXXVIII. 

come."  During  the  interval  between  liis  going  away 
in  his  ascension,  and  his  reti;rn  in  liis  great  glory,  we 
receive  his  blessing  from  the  grace  of  "  the  Comforter 
which  is  the  Holy  Ghost.*"  So,  also,  the  writer  to  the 
Hebrews  makes  our  "sure  and  steadfast "  hope  to  enter 
"  within  the  veil,  whither  the  forerunner  is  for  us  en- 
tered, even  Jesus,  made  an  high  priest  forever  after  the 
order  of  Melchisedek." 

3.  The  asserted  repetition  of  the  sacrifice  in  the  mass 
is  a  denial  of  perfectness  or  sufBciency  in  our  Lord's 
sacrifice  of  himself  on  the  cross,  which  is  a  direct  con- 
tradiction of  apostolical  testimony.  For  in  the  Epistle 
to  the  Hebrews  the  writer  deduces  his  strongest  argu- 
ment to  prove  the  superiority  of  Christ's  priesthood 
over  the  Levitical  from  the  fact,  that,  while  they 
needed  often  to  repeat  their  sacrifices,  our  Lord  offered 
but  one,  which  was  himself.  These  are  his  words  on 
this  point:  "Such  an  liigh  priest  became  vis,  who  is 
holy,  harmless,  undefiled,  separate  from  sinnei's,  and 
made  higher  than  the  heavens  ;  who  needeth  not  daily, 
as  those  high  priests,  [or,  we  may  add,  as  the  Romish 
priests,]  to  oflPer  up  sacrifice,  first  for  his  own  sins,  and 
then  for  the  people's  :  for  this  he  did  once  when  he 
offered  up  himself"  Again  :  "  For  Christ  is  not  en- 
tered into  the  holy  places  made  with  hands,  which  are 
the  figures  of  the  true  ;  but  into  heaven  itself,  now  to 
appear  in  the  presence  of  God  for  us.  Nor  yet  that 
he  should  offer  himself  often,  as  the  high  priest  enter- 
eth  into  the  holy  place  every  year  with  the  blood  of 
others  ;  for  then  must  he  often  have  suffered  from  the 
foundation  of  the  world  ;  but  now,  once  in  the  end  of 
the  world  liath  he  appeared  to  jmt  away  sin  by  the  sac- 
rifice of  himself;  and,  as  it  is  apiioiiited  unto  all   men 


Lect.  XXXVIII.]      AGAINST   TRANSUBSTANTIATION.  341 

once  to  die,  but  after  this  the  judgment,  so  Christ  was 
once  offered  to  bear  the  sins  of  many  ;  and  unto  them, 
that  look  for  him,  will  he  appear  the  second  time  with- 
out sin  unto  salvation."  Again  :  "  By  the  which  will 
[the  will  of  God  in  Christ]  we  are  sanctified  through 
the  offering  of  the  body  of  Jesus  Christ  once  for  all. 
And  every  priest  standeth  daily  ministering  and  offering 
oftentimes  the  same  sacrifices,  which  can  never  take 
away  sins  :  but  this  man,  after  he  had  offered  one  sac- 
rifice for  sins  forever,  sat  down  on  the  right  hand  of 
God ;  from  henceforth  expecting  till  his  enemies  be 
made  his  footstool.  For  by  one  offering  he  hath  per- 
fected forever  them  that  are  sanctified."  It  was  in 
anticipation  of  this  one  perfect  and  perfecting  atoning 
offering  of  Christ  on  the  cross  that  Daniel  prophesied  : 
"  After  threescore  and  two  weeks  shall  Messiah  be  cut 
off,  but  not  for  himself;  ....  and  he  shall  confirm  the 
covenant  with  many  for  one  week,  and  in  the  midst  of 
the  week  he  shall  cause  the  sacrifice  and  the  oblation 
to  cease."  And  this  also  is  the  meaning  of  our  Lord 
on  the  cross,  when  he  said,  "  It  is  finished." 

4.  The  Papists,  however,  contend  that  the  oblation 
of  Christ's  body  and  blood,  the  whole  Christ,  in  the 
sacrament,  is  most  pleasing  to  God.  This  again  is 
contrary  to  Scripture,  which,  in  a  thousand  places, 
declares  that  it  is  faith  in  Chi'ist's  cross  which  is  well 
pleasing  to  God  ;  for,  says  the  Psalmist  in  his  most 
penitential  psalm  :  "  Thou  desirest  not  sacrifice,  else 
would- 1  give  it ;  thou  delightest  not  in  burnt  offering. 
The  sacrifices  of  God  are  a  broken  spirit ;  a  broken 
and  a  contrite  heart,  O  God,  thou  wilt  not  despise." 

They,  also,  attempt  to  justify  their  dogma  by  assert- 
ing that,  as  our  Lord  was  High  Priest  after  the  order 


342  AGAINST  TRANSUBSTANTIATION.      [Lect.  XXXVIII. 

of  Melchisedek,  and  Melchisedek  "  brought  fortli  bread 
and  wine  "  when  he  blessed  Abram,  so  Christ  must 
offer  a  similar  bloodless  sacrifice  of  bread  and  wine, 
which  he  did  not  offer  on  the  cross,  and  can  be  said 
to  offer  only  in  the  bread  and  wine  of  the  sacrament. 
The  citation  itself  defeats  them  ;  for,  setting  aside  the 
obvious  probability  that  the  bread  and  wine  brought 
forth  by  Melchisedek  were  nothing  more  than  refresh- 
ments offered  by  him  to  Abram,  there  is  either  blood 
in  the  sacrifice  of  the  mass,  or  there  is  not.  If  there 
be  blood,  it  is  not  a  sacrifice  of  bread  and  wine  ;  if 
there  be  not  blood,  it  is  not  an  expiatory  sacrifice,  be- 
cause "  without  the  shedding  of  blood  there  is  no  re- 
mission."  But  if  the  doctrine  of  transubstantiation  be 
true,  there  is  both  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ  in  the 
mass,  and  it  is,  therefore,  wholly  changed  from  the 
bread  and  wine  of  Melchisedek's  example  ;  and  they 
incur  the  anathema  of  their  chiefest  council  when  they 
assert  it  to  be  a  bloodless  sacrifice  or  a  sacrifice  of  bread 
and  wine.  They  try  to  evade  this  by  saying  that  it 
is  in  appearance  bread  and  wine.  What  avail  is 
the  mere  appearance,  when  the  substance  is  flesh  and 
blood  ? 

No,  my  brethren,  we  do  indeed  present  an  accept- 
able offering  to  God,  sufficient  to  cover  all  our  sins, 
when  in  our  faith  we  plead  the  perfect  sacrifice  of 
Chi'ist,  once  offered  for  us  on  his  cross  ;  and  Jesus  is 
our  Melchisedek  when  he  sets  before  us  the  holy  bread 
and  wine  as  emblems  of  his  atoiJing  passion. 

No  reference  has  been  made  in  our  foregoing  discus- 
sion to  the  opinions  of  the  church,  ancient  or  modern, 
because,  as  protestants,  we  reject  every  other  rule  of 
faith  beside  the  Scriptures  ;  but  it  is  fair  to  add  that. 


Lect.  XXXVIIL]      AGAINST  TRANSUBSTANTIATION.  343 

antecedently  to  the  council  of  Trent,  very  many  Pa- 
pists, and  not  the  least  learned  among  them,  denied  the 
transubstantiation  of  the  mass.  Dun  Scotus,  the  great 
opponent  ^f  Aquinas,  hesitated  not  to  oppose  it  with  all 
the  vigor  of  his  eminent  abilities,  in  which  he  was  sus- 
tained by  others  less  able  only  than  he.  Some,  who 
held  the  doctrine,  denied  that  it  was  taught  in  Scripture, 
contending  that  it  should  be  received  as  a  doema  of 
their  infallible  church. 

We  learn  from  the  whole  subject  the  danger  of  de- 
parting from  the  simple  word  of  God,  and  the  simple 
doctrine  of  the  cross.  There  is  no  pitch  of  absurdity 
and  heresy,  even  idolatry,  that  we  may  not  reach  if  we 
give  ourselves  up  to  the  guidance  of  men,  even  of  a 
church. 

Very  thankful  should  we  be  that  God  by  his  unmer- 
ited goodness  has  not  permitted  us  to  be  educated  in 
such  superstition. 

And  earnestly  should  we  pray  that  those,  who  are 
now  in  that  region  of  the  shadow  of  death,  the  so-called 
church  of  Rome,  may,  by  the  same  grace,  be  brought 
to  the  true  lisht. 


LECTURE  XXXIX. 


THE  POWER  OP  THE  KEYS. 


THIRTY-FIRST  LORD'S  DAY. 

THE   POWER   OF   THE   KEYS. 

* 

Quest.  LXXXIII.      What  nre  the  keys  of  the  Icingdom  of  heaven  f 

Ans.  The  preaching  of  the  holy  gospel  and  Chi-istiiin  discipline,  or  ex- 
communication out  of  tiie  Christian  church;  by  these  two  the  kingdom 
of  heaven  is  opened  to  believers  and  shut  against  unbelievers. 

Quest.  LXXXIV.  How  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven  opened  and  shut  by  the 
preaching  of  the  gospel? 

Ans.  Thus:  when,  according  to  the  command  of  Christ,  it  is  declared  and 
publicly  testified  to  all  and  every  believer,  that  whenever  they  receive 
the  promise  of  the  gospel  by  a  true  faith,  all  their  sins  are  really  for- 
given them  of  God  for  the  sake  of  Christ's  merits;  and,  on  the  con- 
trar}',  when  it  is  declared  and  testified  to  all  unbelievers,  and  such  as 
do  not  sincerely  repent,  that  they  stand  exposed  to  the  wrath  of  God 
and  eternal  condemnation,  so  long  as  they  are  unconverted; — accord- 
ing to  which  testimony  of  the  gospel,  God  will  judge  them  both  in  this 
and  the  life  to  come. 

Quest.  LXXXV.  How  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven  shut  and  opened  by  Chris- 
tian discipline  ? 

Ans.  Thus:  when,  according  to  the  command  of  Christ,  those  who,  under 
the  name  of  Ciiristians,  maintain  doctrines  or  practices  inconsistent 
therewith,  and  will  not,  after  having  been  brotherly  admonished.^ 
renounce  their  errors  and  wicked  course  of  life,  are  complained  of 
to  the  church,  or  to  tliose  who  are  thereunto  appointed  by  the  church, 
and  if  they  despise  their  admonition,  are  by  them  forbid  the  use  of  the 
sacraments,  whereby  they  are  excluded  from  the  Christian  church  and 
by  God  himself  from  the  kingdom  of  Christ;  and  when  they  promise 
and  show  real  amendments,  are  again  received  as  members  of  Christ 
and  his  church. 

i  SUSPICION  has  arisen,  it  is  likely,  in  the  minds 
-^^  of  some  of  you  who  have  pursued  with  us  the 
study  of  our  Catechism,  that  there  are  at  least  a  few 
things  treated  of  with  too  great  particularity,  since  they 
are  now  fairly  understood,  and  the  true  doctrine  con- 
cerning them  believed  by  the  great  body  of  evangelical 


848  THE   POWER   OF   THE   KEYS.      [Lect.  XXXIX. 

Christians.  It  should,  however,  be  remembered  that 
tlie  Catechism  was  Avritten  but  a  short  time  after  our 
Reformed  churches  had  come  out  from  the  idolatrous 
church  (so  called)  of  Rome,  and  that  many  of  the 
anti-scriptural  dogmas  and  pretensions  of  Popery  and  its 
ministers  retained  not  a  little  power  over  the  common 
mind,  accustomed  to  an  entire  and  unquestioning  sub- 
jection for  many  centuries  ;  and  this  especially,  as 
they  were  proclaimed  and  insisted  on  by  the  advocates 
of  Rome  with  all  the  art  and  ardor  and  strength  of 
men  skilled  in  argument  and  fond  of  rule,  who  felt 
that  they  were  in  great  danger  of  losing  their  author- 
ity and  its  emoluments  forever.  Doctrines  and  prac- 
tices, upon  which  a  well-taught  child  in  a  pious  family 
or  Sunday-school  can  now  pronounce  correctly,  were 
then  subjects  of  angry  and  protracted  dispute  between 
learned  and  eminent  men  in  halls  of  universities,  and 
in  councils  summoned  by  princely  and  imperial  com- 
mand ;  and  how  partially  truth  prevailed  over  error,  is 
shown  by  the  fact  that  the  greater  part  of  Europe  fell 
back  from  the  alarm  of  controversy  to  a  more  servile 
awe  of  the  monstrous  superstition  than  before.  At 
this  hour  the  adherents  to  these  destructive  errors  con- 
siderably outnumber  all  others  who  profess  themselves 
Christians  ;  and  as  some  think  sacred  prophecy  warns 
us  of  a  desperate  attempt  again  to  subjugate  the  world 
by  the  iron  yoke  of  their  intolerant  supremacy,  it  is, 
therefore,  not  wise  for  us  so  to  overlook  the  fiilsity  of 
such  pretensions  as  to  remain  ignorant  of  the  scriptural 
arguments  by  which  they  may  be  refuted,  and  our 
Protestant  faith  intelligently  confirmed.  These  re- 
marks are  particularly  applicable  to  the  subject  of  our 
lesson  for  to-day. 


T.KCT.  XXXIX.]      THE  POWER  OF   THE  KEYS.  349 

A  key  being  the  instrument  by  Avliich  a  dooi'  is 
opened  or  shut,  he  who  has  the  key  has  the  power  of 
admitting  or  excluding.  Hence,  it  is  very  naturally 
used  as  a  figure  to  signify  the  prerogative  of  conferring 
or  withholding  privileges,  as  in  a  state  or  society.  Of 
this  we  have  a  notable,  though  not  solitary,  example  in 
Scripture,  where  our  Lord  says  to  the  apostle  Petei', 
after  his  memorable  confession,  "  Thou  art  Peter,  and 
upon  this  rock  I  will  build  my  church  ;  and  the  gates 
of  hell  shall  not  prevail  against  it.  And  I  will  give 
unto  thee  the  kevs  of  the  kino;dom  of  heaven :  and 
whatsoever  thou  shalt  bind  on  earth  shall  be  bound  in 
heaven  ;  and  whatsoever  thou  shalt  loose  on  earth  shall 
be  loosed  in  heaven  "  (Matt.  xvi.  18,  19).  It  is  upon 
this  text,  as  you  know,  that  the  Papists  ground  their 
claim  for  the  supreme  and  infallible  dominion  of  the 
Pope,  as  the  alleged  successor  of  St.  Peter  in  things 
spiritual,  and,  in  truth,  things  temporal  so  far  as  they 
can  be  made  contingent  upon  the  interest  of  the  churcli 
over  which  he  presides.  Peter,  say  they,  was  the  rock 
on  which  Christ  founded  the  true  church.  Peter  w-as 
bishop  of  Rome ;  therefore  each  successive  bishop  of 
Rome  derives  the  same  fundamental  relation  to  the 
church,  and  no  one  who  does  not  so  rest  his  faith  on 
the  authority  of  Christ  so  delegated  to  the  Pope  is  a 
member  of  the  true  church.  In  like  manner  they 
argue,  that,  as  our  Lord  gave  to  Peter  the  authority  to 
admit  into  his  kingdom,  which  is  his  church,  and  to 
exclude  or  expel  from  it,  promising  to  ratify  in  heaven 
what  the  apostle  did  on  earth,  binding  what  he  bound, 
and  loosening  what  he  loosed  (that  is,  condemning  for 
sin  or  absolving  from  sin),  so  the  bishop  of  Rome,  or 
Pope,  being  the  successor  of  Peter,   is  the  vicegerent 


350  THE   POWER   OF   THE   KEYS.        [Lect.  XXXIX. 

(»f  Christ  on  earth,  whose  sentences  of  absolution  or 
condemnation,  finally  pronounced,  have  infallible  au- 
thority in  heaven.  Now,  if  we  allow  their  view  of  the 
text  cited,  their  inference  must  be  allowed,  and  we  can- 
not, without  fatal  disloyalty  to  Christ,  refuse  entire 
subjection  to  the  Pope. 

But  let  us  sift  this  interpretation  and  argument  of 
theirs.  In  the  first  place,  it  is  far  from  certain,  nay, 
very  improbable,  that  the  apostle  Peter  was  ever  bishop 
of  Rome.  It  is  even  doubted  by  many  learned  inves- 
tigators that  he  ever  was  at  Rome  at  all.  The  traces 
of  his  special  presidency  over  the  particular  church 
of  Rome,  if  there  be  any,  are  exceedingly  obscure ; 
whereas,  if  such  stupendous  interests  depend  on  the 
alleged  fact,  it  is  fair  to  believe  that  God  would  have 
put  it  beyond  doubt.  Certainly,  there  is  no  allusion  to 
anything  of  the  kind  in  the  Scriptures  ;  on  the  contrary, 
the  care  of  the  church  of  Rome  was  presidentially 
assigned  rather  to  the  apostle  Paul,  as  appears  from  his 
epistle  to  that  church  and  his  residence  there  after  his 
appeal  to  Caesar.  Paul,  also,  declares  that  the  gospel 
of  circumcision  was  unto  Peter,  which  implies  that  his 
mission  was  especially  to  the  Jews,  while  the  apostle- 
ship  of  the  uncircumcision  was  committed  to  himself, 
that  he  should  go  unto  the  Gentiles  (Gal.  ii.  7-10), 
for  which  reason  Paul,  in  the  eleventh  chapter  of  his 
Epistle  to  the  Romans,  says  :  "  I  speak  unto  you.  Gen- 
tiles, inasmuch  as  I  am  the  apostle  of  the  Gentiles,  I 
magnify  mine  ofltice  ; "  from  which  it  would  appear 
that  any  pretension  of  Peter  to  special  authority  over 
the  Gentile  church  of  Rome  was  an  intrusion  within 
the  sphere  appointed  to  the  apostle  Paul. 

But  we  go  farther,    and   assert,   on   a   collation   of 


Lect.  XXXIX.]      THE  POWER   OF   THE  KEYS.  351 

scriptural   passages,  that,  so  flir  from  any  primacy  in 
tlie  apostlesln'p  having  been  assigned  to  Peter,  what- 
ever prerogatives  were  given   him  were   given    to  all 
the  apostles  in  common.     Thus,  was  Peter  a  rock  on 
which  Christ  built  his  church  ?     So  were  all,  for  Paul 
says  (Ephes.  ii.  20),  tliat  the  church  was  built  on  "  the 
foundation  of  tlie  prophets  and  apostles,"  "  Jesus  Christ 
himself "  alone   having   a  far  excelling  •  distinction   as 
"  the  chief  corner-stone  ";    and  the   apostle   John,  in 
the  Revelation,  describing  the  church  as  a  city,  says 
that  the  wall  of  it   "had  twelve   foundations,  and   in 
them  the  names  of  the  twelve  apostles  were  written  " 
(xxi.   14).      Besides,  the  office  of  the  apostles  as  the 
foundation,  with  the  prophets,  lay  in  their  inspired  tes- 
timony of  the    truth  concerning  Christ,  and  therefore 
ceased  when  their  testimony  ceased,  so  that  in  this  re- 
spect the  apostles  had  not,  and  could  not  have  had,  any 
successor  at  Rome,  or  anywhere.     If  Peter  was  sent 
of  Christ  with  power  of  the  keys,  that  is,  to  retain  or 
remit  sins,  so  were  they  all,  for  our  Lord  after  his  res- 
urrection said  to  them  :   "  As  my  Father  hath  sent  me, 
even  so  send  I  you.     And  when  he  had  said  this,  he 
breathed  on  them,  and  saith  unto  them.  Receive  ye  the 
Holy  Ghost :  whosesoever  sins  ye  remit,  they  are  re- 
mitted unto  them  ;    and   whosesoever    sins  ye  retain, 
they  are   retained  "   (John   xx.   21-23).      Thomas,  it 
may  be  observed,  was  not  then   present  ;    but  as   he 
was  afterwards  with  the  other  ten  when  they  received 
the   final   and   general    commission   of  apostleship,  we 
need  not  doubt  of  his  having  had  the  same  authority 
as  the  rest.     Nay,  Paul  was  himself   the  first  protes- 
tant  against  the  primacy  of  Peter,  when,  asserting  his 
prerogative  to  rule  the  Corinthian  church,  he  says  :  "  I 


352  THE   POWER  OF   THE  KEYS.       [Lect.  XXXIX. 

suppose  [or,  I  reason]  I  was  not  a  whit  behind  the  very 
chiefest  apostles  "  (2  Cor.  xi.  5)  ;  and  on  one  critical 
occasion  he  "  withstood  Peter  to  the  face,  because  he 
was  to  be  blamed  "  (Gal.  ii.  11).  So  shall  we  with- 
stand any  pretended  successor  of  Peter,  if  he  teach 
any  other  gospel  than  that  which  Paul,  our  apostle, 
taught.  Peter  had  this  precedency,  and  no  more,  that 
his  preaching  at  the  Pentecost  was  instrumental  in 
adding  the  first  converts  from  Judaism,  and  afterwards 
completing  the  organization  of  the  Christian  church 
by  the  addition  of  the  Gentile  elements,  necessary  to 
"the  one  new  man  "  in  Christ  (Gal.  ii.  11-16),  when 
he  baptized  Cornelius  (Acts  x.  xi.  18). 

But,  as  we  have  hinted  before,  the  apostles  had  no 
successors  in  the  full  degree  of  apostleship,  nor  can  the 
words  of  the  text  under  consideration  be  applied  in 
anything  like  their  full  sense  to  any  one  after  them  in 
the  church.  Our  Lord  sent  his  apostles  forth  as  he 
had  been  sent  by  his  Father,  which  was  with  power  on 
earth  to  lorgive  sins,  and  with  extraordinary  gifts  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  including  power  to  confer  the  grace  of  the 
Holy  Ghost  upon  others.  This  commission  to  them 
was  indicated  and  attested,  as  his  commission  from  the 
Father,  by  the  power  of  working  miracles.  Where 
this  seal  and  evidence  is  wanting,  it  is  clear  that  the 
full  commission  has  not  been  transmitted  by  any  suc- 
cession. But  as  no  pope  or  bishop  or  priest  has  this 
miraculous  energy,  none  of  them  are  fully  successors 
of  the  apostles.  It  follows  that  our  Lord's  address  to 
Peter,  or  his  subsequent  commission  to  them  all,  em- 
braced some  powers  not  transmissible,  for  the  exercise 
of  which  they  were  peculiarly  fitted.  Now,  as  they 
were  appointed  to  lay  the  foundation  of  the  church  on 


Lect.  XXXIX.]       THE  POWER   OF   THE   KEYS.  358 

the  chief  corner-stone,  Christ  Jesus,  and  they  were 
governed  from  within  by  a  pecuhar  degree  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  they  may  very  well  be  supposed  to  judge  infal- 
libly, when  necessary,  of  what  was  in  men,  so  as  to 
make  no  error  in  admitting  them  to  the  church  or  ex- 
cluding them  from  it,  and  in  pronouncing,  as  our  Lord 
did  infallibly,  the  remission  or  retention  of  sins.  There- 
fore it  was  literally  true  that  whatever  they,  when 
exercising  their  apostolical  authority,  bound  on  earth, 
or  loosed  on  earth,  would  be  bound  or  loosed  in  heaven. 
Christ  on  his  throne  would  certainly  ratify  what  his 
Spirit  in  the  apostles  did  on  earth.  But  the  same  con- 
firmation cannot  be  presumed  of  any  unins])ired  men, 
claiming  to  be  their  successors.  Any  such  claim  for 
them  is  a  blasphemous  assumption  of  Christ's  discern- 
ment and  authority.  Hence  the  assumptions  of  the 
Pope  to  open  and  shut  heaven,  and  to  forgive  or  retain 
the  guilt  of  sin,  is  worse  than  vanity  and  arrogance. 

But  a  very  urgent  question  here  arises,  which  our 
church,  professing  to  declare  by  the  Catechism  the  full 
doctrine  of  Christ,  is  not  at  liberty  to  shun.  Was 
Christian  government  and,  especially,  discipline,  so  re- 
strained in  the  hands  of  the  apostles,  that,  after  their 
divinely  directed  office  ceased  on  earth,  it  ceased  to  ex- 
ist; or,  if  it  continued,  to  whom  was  it  committed  ?  Vol- 
umes of  dispute  have  been  written  in  all  ages  of  the 
church  on  these  points,  and  with  every  variety  of  opin- 
ion;  but  all  the  inquiries  properly  refer  for  considera- 
tion in  the  premises  to  that  striking  passage  in  Matthew, 
(xviii.  15—20,)  where  our  Lord,  speaking  of  quarrels 
between  brethren,  and  having  enjoined  first  private  and 
gentle  methods  of  attempting  reconciliation,  adds :  "  Tell 
it  unto  the  church,  and  if  he  (the  other  party  in  the  case) 
VOL.  J.  23 


354  THE  POWER   OF   THE  KEYS.        [Lect.  XXXIX. 

neglect  to  hear  the  church,  let  him  be  unto  thee  a 
heathen  man  and  a  publican.  Verily  I  say  unto  you, 
whatsoever  ye  shall  bind  on  earth  shall  be  bound  in 
heaven,  and  whatsoever  ye  shall  loose  on  earth  shall 
be  loosed  in  heaven  [the  identical  words,  with  the  ex- 
ception that  the  singular  pronoun  is  changed  to  the 
plural,  showing  that  the  promise  to  Peter  was  not  ex- 
clusive]. Again  I  say  unto  you,  that  if  any  two  of 
you  shall  agree  on  earth  as  touching  anything  that  they 
shall  ask,  it  shall  be  done  for  them  of  my  Father  which 
is  in  heaven.  For  where  two  or  three  are  gathered 
together  in  my  name,  there  am  I  in  the  midst  of  them." 
These  two  verses  (19,  20)  are  evidently  parts  of  the 
pai'agraph  relating  to  discipline,  and  are  to  be  consid- 
ered in  its  exposition.  We  have  here,  then,  three 
things  to  settle  :  First,  To  whom  were  these  words 
addressed  ?  Secondly,  What  is  meant  by  the  church  ? 
Thirdly,  To  what  extent  and  in  what  manner  (if  any) 
are  these  promises  applicable  beyond  the  apostles  ? 

As  to  the  address,  it  will  be  seen  on  reference  to  the 
chapter  that  our  Lord  was  speaking  to  his  disciples,  or 
his  future  apostles  (compare  Mark  ix.  33  ;  Luke  ix. 
46  ;  xxii.  24-30  ;  John  xiii.  12-17),  who  were  under 
the  prejudice  of  Jewish  notions  concerning  Messiah's 
kingdom.  The  commands  and  the  promises,  therefore, 
were  primarily  to  the  inspired  apostles  ;  and  upon  this 
Paul  acted  in  a  case  of  discipline  at  Corinth  (1  Cor.  v. 
1—5),  where,  though  evidently  claiming  his  apostolical 
authority,  he  yet  directs  the  church  to  proceed  to  con- 
demnation in  his  absence,  he  confirming  their  decision 
beforehand  :  "■  For  I  verily,  as  absent  in  body,  but 
present  in  spirit,  have  judged  already,  as  though  I  were 
present,  concerning  him  that  hath  so  done  this  deed  ; 


Lect.  XXXIX.]        THE  POWER  OF   THE  KEYS.  355 

In  the  name  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  when  ye  are 
gathered  together,  and  my  spirit^  with  the  power  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,*  to  deliver  such  a  one  unto 
Satan  for  tlie  destruction  of  the  flesh,  that  the  spirit 
may  be  saved  in  the  day  of  the  Lord  Jesus."  But 
though  the  address  was  primarily  to  the  inspired  apos- 
tles, we  may  believe,  and  in  this  all  parties  are  agreed, 
that  our  Lord,  in  sivino;  these  directions  to  them  as  the 
founders  of  his  church,  intended  to  mark  out  the  prin- 
ciples of  action  for  the  church  in  all  ages  ;  which  view 
is  strengthened  by  the  fact  of  the  apostle  Paul's  asso- 
ciation with  himself  of  the  church  of  Corinth  in  the 
case  cited,  as  also  by  the  address  of  the  same  apostle 
to  the  elders  of  Ephesus  (Acts  xx.  28),  and  of  the 
apostle  Peter  to  the  elders  generally,  in  both  of  which 
they  are  expected  to  take  faithful  care  of  the  church, 
the  oversight  (undoubtedly  including  discipline)  of 
which  was  committed  unto  them  by  the  Holy  Ghost. 
What  then  is  meant  by  "  the  church  "  ?  Church  is 
a  Greek  term,  and  therefore  had  not  been  used  by  the 
Jews  in  their  polity ;  and  though  under  the  inspiration 
of  the  Holy  Ghost  it  was  afterwards  given  to  the  flock 
of  Christ,  the  Christian  church  was  not  formally  estab- 
lished until  after  the  descent  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  the 
Jewish  economy  being  still  in  force.  Under  that  sys- 
tem we  know  that  ultimate  discipline  of  offenders  was 
in  the  hands  of  the  assembly  of  elders,  or  Sanhedrim,  as 
they  called  it.  Did  our  Lord  refer  his  immediate  dis- 
ciples to  that  tribunal  ?  The  supposition  is  not  mon- 
strous, since  he  himself  submitted  to  trial  by  the  San- 
hedrim, and  protested  only  against  the  flagrant  illegahty 

*  It  may  be  questioned  whether  the  phrase  "  with  the  power  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  "  refers  to  the  whole  assembly,  or  to  the  spirit  of  the  apostle. 
I  incline  to  the  latter  opinion. 


356  THE  POWER  OF   THE  KEYS.       [Lect.  XXXIX. 

of  their  proceedings.  Or  did  lie  refer  in  advance  to 
the  future  church,  in  language  not  understood  by  the 
disciples  at  the  time,  but  which  would  be  understood 
by  that  church  for  whose  benefit  in  all  ages  his  sacred 
words  are  recorded?  This  opinion  seems  not  unrea- 
sonable, as  our  Lord  shows  a  similar  anticipation  of 
phraseology  when  he  exhorts  his  disciples,  before  they 
knew  that  he  was  to  be  crucified,  to  "  take  up  their 
cross  and  follow  him  "  ;  for  although  that  expression 
probably  was  in  proverbial  use  among  the  Jews,  it  had 
undoubtedly  in  our  Lord's  mind  a  force  which  the 
whole  church  has  subsequently  given  it,  as  sympathy 
with  his  death  on  the  cross.  We,  therefore,  hold  that 
the  counsel  given  to  tell  matters  of  dispute  between 
Christian  brethren,  or  of  offence  against  the  morals  of 
our  holy  profession,  should,  when  more  gentle  methods 
of  composition  fail,  be  told  to  the  church,  and  submit- 
ted to  them  for  decision  ;  —  not  necessarily  the  -whole 
clnirch,  or  the  whole  of  a  particular  church,  (for  we 
know  that  some,  and,  ordinarily,  the  larger  portion  of 
a  church,  are  forbidden  to  speak  in  the  church,  and  so 
have  no  voice  in  the  church  court,)  but,  as  the  Jewish 
church  was  represented  by  the  court  of  elders,  and  as 
elders  to  "  rule  over  "  were  appointed  in  the  apostolical 
churches,  this  function  of  oversight,  or  government, 
may  be  very  well  committed  to  their  hands,  by  which 
much  confusion  and  unnecessary  scandal  are  avoided  ; 
and,  therefore,  such  a  system  of  government  and  disci- 
pline, by  a  body  of  elders  elected  by  the  members  of 
each  church,  has  been  adopted,  and  prevails  in  all  our 
Reformed  churches. 

These  points  being  settled,  our  third  question  recurs : 
To  what  extent  and  in  what  manner  are  the  promises, 


Lect.  XXXIX.]       THE  POWER  OF   THE   KEYS.  357 

primarily  directed  to  the  inspired  apostles,  applicable 
to  the  church,  since  their  day,  in  its  exercise  of  disci- 
pline ?  It  is  obvious  that  there  must  be  some  restraint 
of  them,  if  not  modification.  For  the  apostles,  when 
under  plenary  inspiration  as  the  appointed  and  miracu- 
lously accredited  ministers  of  Christ  in  the  absolute 
government  of  the  church,  had  such  divine  discern- 
ment and  impartiality  that  their  judgment  was  infal- 
lible ;  and,  therefore,  Christ  certainly  confirmed  in 
heaven  what  they,  by  his  authority  and  under  his 
guidance,  ordered  on  earth.  But,  though  the  grace 
of  the  Holy  Ghost  has  been  promised,  and  has  been,  as 
\t  will  be,  given  to  all  Christians,  and  Christ  has  prom- 
rsed  to  be  "in  the  midst  of  them,"  especially  when  met 
together  in  his  name,  such  inspiration  is  not  plenary,  or 
such  guidance  thorough,  as  in  the  case  of  the  apostles. 
On  the  contrary,  every  Christian  knows  that,  from  the 
weakness  of  his  understanding  and  heart,  and  the 
temptations  of  the  world,  the  flesh,  and  the  devil,  he  is 
constantly  prone  to  error,  misjudgment,  and  uncharita- 
bleness  ;  nay,  that  the  Holy  Ghost  does  not  preserve 
him  from  such  ignorance  and  sin,  except  so  far  as  he 
purifies  his  heart  and,  using  all  the  means  of  grace,  acts 
in  the  spirit  of  Christ,  according  to  the  word  of  Christ, 
and  singly  for  the  glory  of  Christ.  This  must  also  be 
true  of  the  church  or  eldership  of  the  church  when 
administering  Christian  discipline.  Christ  will  confirm 
in  heaven  whatever  they  do  in  accordance  with  his 
word  and  Spirit ;  but  it  is  preposterous  to  say  that 
he  will  confirm  the  erroneous  or  illegal  acts  of  his  ser- 
vants, though  they  profess  to  act  in  his  name.  There 
must  be,  if  I  may  be  allowed  the  technicality,  appeal 
from   the  fallible   court   below  to  the   infallible  judge 


358  THE  POWER  OF   THE   KEYS.      [Lect.  XXXIX. 

on  the  throne  of  heaven.  Yet,  until  tliat  appeal  be 
tried  and  pronounced  upon,  it  becomes  all  good  Chris- 
tians to  bow  before  the  tribunal  constituted  by  Christ 
on  earth.  So  far,  then,  as  Christian  discipline  is 
administered  according  to  the  law  of  Christ,  by  the 
cimrch  on  earth,  it  will  be  confirmed  by  Christ,  the 
only  head  of  the  churcli,  in  heaven. 

We  sliould  here  add,  by  way  of  cautionary  infer- 
ence, that  such  prerogative  of  ministerial  judgment, 
having  been  committed  to  the  church,  as  the  kingdom 
of  Christ  which  is  not  of  this  world,  the  jurisdiction  of 
the  church  is  positively  restricted  to  matters  purely 
spiritual,  all  others  being  left  to  extra-ecclesiastical  au- 
thorities, or  what  the  apostle  terms  "  the  powers  that 
be."  Our  Lord,  it  will  be  remembered,  refused  to 
settle  a  matter  of  inheritance,  saying,  "  Who  made  me 
a  judge  or  divider  over  you?"  And  when  asked  to 
decide  a  political  question,  refused  to  answer  farther 
than  to  say,  "  Render  unto  Cassar  the  things  which  are 
CaBsar's,  and  unto  God  the  things  that  are  God's  "  ; 
while  on  another  occasion,  though  privately  protesting 
the  right  of  "  the  children  "  to  be  "  free,"  he  wrouoht 
a  miracle  to  procure  means  for  the  payment  of  tribute 
to  the  foreign  oppressor  who,  in  divine  providence,  held 
rule  over  his  country.  It  is,  therefore,  clearly  against 
the  example  of  our  divine  head  to  bring  questions  of 
property  or  temporal  politics  into  church  courts.  They 
have  uo  right  to  adjudicate  them. 

So,  also.  Christians,  in  their  private  capacity,  or  oth- 
erwise than  for  the  administration  of  Christian  disci- 
pline, are  debarred  from  the  exei'cise  of  open  censure 
or  personal  condemnation  of  their  brethren,  and  are 
liable  in  attem])ting  such  annoyance  to  condemnation 


Lect.  XXXIX.]      THE  POWER  OF   THE  KEYS.  359 

themselves  by  him  who  has  said,  "  Judge  not,  that  ye 
be  not  judged." 

But  it  equally  follows  that  the  prerogative  of  judg- 
ment in  religious  matters  belongs  to  the  church  alone, 
and  that  neither  the  civil  power  nor  any  body  of  men 
(not  a  chiu'ch)  have  anything  to  do  with  such  matters; 
and  if  any  such  presume  to  take  them  into  their  hands, 
they  are  guilty  of  profanely  obtruding  themselves  on 
the  kingdom  of  Christ.  No  greater  mischiefs  have 
happened  to  church  and  to  state  than  have  arisen  from 
such  unchristian  and  wicked  confusion  of  things  spirit- 
ual with  things  temporal,  —  things  ecclesiastical  with 
things  political.  In  this  country,  for  the  first  time  since 
history  began  its  records,  the  providence  of  God  has 
ordered  that  constitutional  law  should  unite  with  the 
word  of  God  in  severing  the  religion  of  Christ  from 
the  civil  government ;  and  it  behooves  all  true  disciples 
of  Christ  to  be  very  careful  how,  on  their  part,  they  do 
not  transcend  their  sphere,  lest,  as  will  inevitably  be 
the  case,  they  provoke  the  Avorld  to  interfere  with  the 
rights  of  the  church. 

We  can  now  see  how  and  why  the  section  for  the 
present  Lord's  Day  was  introduced  by  the  authors  of 
the  Catechism,  especially  as  they  were  so  rudely  pressed 
at  the  time  by  the  advocates  of  Popery.  The  Pope,  as 
the  successor  of  St.  Peter,  claimed  supi'eme  and  sole 
dominion  over  the  church,  and  bore  embroidered  on 
his  vestments  two  keys,  as  the  badge  of  his  power. 
Where,  asked  the  Papists  of  the  Protestants,  is  the 
right  of  ecclesiastical  government  ?  Who  has  the 
mystical  keys  which  open  and  shut  the  kingdom  of 
heaven  ?     To   this   the    Reformers    replied,   as   in   the 


360  THE  POAVER   OF   THE  KEYS.       [Lect.  XXXIX. 

answers  before  us  :  That  tlie  right  of  o-ovemment  was 
in  the  church,  constituted  and  governed  accordino;  to 
the  word  of  Christ  ;  and  that  the  two  keys  were  also 
in  the  hands  of  the  church  :  the  one,  the  preaching 
of  the  gospel,  by  which  those  who  believe  are  made 
heirs  of  heaven,  and  those  who  refuse  to  believe  are 
forever  excluded  from  its  glorious  blessedness  ;  the 
other,  Christian  discipline,  whicli,  in  excommunicating 
the  gross  sinner  from  the  church  on  eartli  and  in  restor- 
ing the  jienitent,  if  administered  according  to  the  word 
and  spirit  of  Christ,  must  be  according  to  the  will  of 
Christ  in  heaven.  The  language  and  reasoning  of  th:> 
whole  section  are  so  very  plain  that  we  may  leave  them 
without  farther  comment. 

1.  How  infinitely  important  it  is  that  the  gospel  be 
preached  faithfully,  purely,  and  fully  !  It  is  the  voice 
of  the  great  God  and  our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  declar- 
ing unto  sinful  men  the  principles  on  which  the  Judge 
of  all  will  determine  our  eternal  state.  Those  who 
come  within  the  sound  of  the  preacher,  have  a  right  to 
hear  the  gospel  as  God  has  sent  it  ;  because  their  eter- 
nal salvation  or  damnation  depends  on  the  manner  in 
which  they  regard  the  revelation  of  mercy.  If  the 
i)reacher  be  faithful  in  deliverino;  the  messaoe,  as  an 
ambassador  for  Christ,  lie  is  free  from  the  blood  of  all 
men  ;  if  he  be  faithless,  the  blood  of  his  hearers'  souls, 
dying  impenitent,  God  will  require  at  his  hands.  This 
thought,  but  for  the  assurance  of  God's  grace,  would 
have  overwhelmed  the  apostle  Paul  ;  how  should  it 
make  liis  uninspired  successors  humble,  reverent,  and 
zealous  !  Hear  what  he  says  :  "  For  we  are  unto  God 
a  sweet  savor  of  Christ,  in  them  that  are  saved,  and  in 
them  that  perish  ;  to  the  one  we  are  the  savor  of  death 


Lect.  XXXIX.]       THE  POWER  OF  THE  KEYS.  361 

unto  death,  and  to  the  other  the  savor  of  life  unto 
life.  And  who  is  sufficient  for  these  things  ?  For  we 
are  not  as  many,  which  corrupt  the  word  of  God  ;  but 
as  of  sincerity,  but  as  of  God,  in  the  sight  of  God  speak 
we  in  Christ." 

How  vast  is  tlie  responsibihty  of  those  who  hear  the 
gospel  so  proclaimed  !  Upon  their  treatment  of  the 
word  hangs  their  everlasting  condition.  Every  time 
the  gospel  is  preached,  the  gate  of  heaven  is  flung  open 
and  they  are  invited  to  enter  ;  every  time  they  turn 
away  unbelieving,  the  gate  of  heaven  is  shut  against 
them.     Dear  friends,  "  take  heed  how  you  hear." 

2.  How  important  that  Christian  discipline  be  faith- 
fully and  religiously  maintained  !  The  officers  of  the 
church  are  charged  to  vindicate  the  character  of  the 
Christian  name  before  the  world.  They  are,  therefore, 
bound  to  disown  those  whose  lives  are  in  open  contra- 
diction to  the  law  of  God.  The  duty  is  difficult,  much 
more  so  than  people  are  apt  to  think.  The  rule  of 
Christ  requires  at  least  two  witnesses ;  and  as  church 
courts  have  not  the  power  to  compel  the  attendance 
of  witnesses,  trial  is  often  impossible  even  where  the 
scandal  is  more  than  suspected.  But  so  far  as  in  them 
lies,  they  are  bound  in  fidelity  to  Christ,  to  the  offender, 
and  to  the  world,  for  an  unshrinking,  impartial,  and 
merciful   discharge  of  their  sacred  function. 

And  all  of  vis  should  regard  such  an  oversight  by 
the  church  authority  as  a  blessing,  cheerfully  yielding 
ourselves  to  faithful  admonition,  and  submitting  our- 
selves to  the  decision  of  those  who  are  set  over  us  in 
the  Lord,  by  the  paternal  love  of  God  and  the  grace 
of  Christ.     Amen. 


LECTURE   XL. 

OF  THANKFULNESS. 

NECESSITY    OF    GOOD    WORKS. 


THIRTY-SECOND   LORD'S    DAY. 
OF    THANKFULNESS. 

Quest.  LXXXVI.  Since,  then,  loe  are  delivered  from  our  misery,  viervhj 
of  grace,  iliroiujh  Christ,  without  any  merit  of  our  own,  why  must  we  still. 
do  good  works  ? 

Ans.  Because  Christ,  having  redeemed  and  delivered  us  by  his  blood, 
also  renews  us  by  his  Holy  Spirit  after  his  own  image,  that  so  we  may 
testify,  bj'  the  whole  of  our  conduct,  our  gratitude  to  God  for  his  bless- 
ings, and  that  he  may  be  praised  bj'  us;  also,  that  every  man  may  be 
assured  in  himself  of  his  faith  by  the  fruits  thereof  ;  and  that  by  our 
godly  conversation  others  may  be  gained  to  Christ. 

Quest.  LXXXVII.  Cannot  they  then  be  saved,  who,  continuing  in  their 
wicked  and  ungrateful  lives,  are  not  converted  unto  God  f 

Ans.  By  no  means;  for  the  Holy  Scripture  declares  that  no  unchaste  per- 
son, idolater,  adulterer,  thief,  covetous  man,  drunkard,  slanderer,  rob- 
ber, or  any  such  like  shall  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God. 

npHE  purpose  of  religion  being  to  cultivate  our  sense 
-*-  of  obligation  to  God,  and  thereby  to  make  us  more 
like  our  divine  Father  in  the  practice  of  those  duties  he 
has  enjoined,  it  follows  that  no  scheme  of  religious  doc- 
trine or  worship  can  be  true  which  has  not  such  effect 
upon  the  hearts  and  lives  of  all  who  sincerely  receive 
it.  Such  evidence  of  its  authenticity,  or  divine  origin, 
is  especially  demanded  of  the  Christian  religion,  which, 
on  the  one  hand,  declares  our  native  inability  to  serve 
God  aright,  and,  on  the  other,  offers  us  the  blessedness 
of  his  fiivor  for  time  and  eternity  only  through  the 
merits  of  Christ  in  gracious  answer  to  our  faith.  The 
original  constitution  under  which  man  was  placed,  un- 
doubtedly ordered  that  he  should  be  rewarded  for  his 
own  righteousness  or  punished  for  his  own  unrighteous- 


366  OF  THANKFULNESS.  [Lect.  XL. 

ness,  — righteousness  and  unrighteousness  being  synon- 
ymous Avith  obedience  and  disobedience  to  God.  This 
is  clearly  set  forth  by  the  apostle  Paul  (Romans  ii.  6- 
11)  :  "  Who  [^.  e.  God  the  Judge]  will  render  to  every 
man  according  to  his  deeds :  to  them  who  by  patient 
continuance  in  well-doing  seek  for  glory,  honor,  and 
immortality,  eternal  life ;  but  unto  them  that  are  con- 
tentious, and  do  not  obey  the  truth,  but  obey  unright- 
eousness, indignation  and  wrath,  tribulation  and  an- 
guish upon  every  soul  of  man  that  doeth  evil,  —  of  the 
Jew  first,  and  also  of  the  Gentile  ;  but  glory,  honor,  and 
peace  to  every  man  that  worketh  good,  —  to  the  Jew 
first,  and  also  to  the  Gentile  ;  for  there  is  no  respect  of 
persons  Avith  God."  Such  a  system  at  once  commends 
itself  to  our  reason.  It  is  right  that  a  man  should  be 
treated  as  he  deserves.  ,We  can,  also,  see  that  the  legit- 
imate effect  of  such  a  system  should  be  to  restrain  men 
from  evil  and  move  them  to  do  right.  It  must,  more- 
over, be  unchangeable,  because  eternal  justice,  the  per- 
fect consistency  of  God  Avith  himself,  requires  that  his 
faA'or  should  be  the  reward  of  righteousness  only,  his 
Avrath  the  punishment  of  unrighteousness  only.  The 
gospel,  so  far  from  abrogating  this  constitution,  vindi- 
cates it  in  every  particular.  Nay,  the  sole  end  of 
Christ's  mediation  Avas  to  justify  God  in -taking  to  him- 
self preeminent  glory  by  the  salvation  of  sinners  who 
believe  in  Christ.  Christ,  the  second  Adam,  takes  the 
place  of  the  first,  on  behalf  of  all  the  seed  of  faith, 
suffers  for  tliem  the  penalty  due  their  disobedience, 
renders  for  them  a  perfect  obedience,  —  so  obtaining  for 
them  by  the  infinite  merit  of  his  substitution  entire 
absolution  from  guilt,  and  a  gracious  title  to  full  divine 
favor. 


Lect.  XL.]  OF   THANKFULNESS.  367 

This  is  not  the  place  to  argue  the  propriety  of  vi- 
carious atonement,  or  the  imputation  of  our  sins  to 
Christ  and  the  imputation  of  Christ's  righteousness. 
God  sufficiently  demonstrates  it  in  his  holy  word,  and 
we  have  rehearsed  his  demonstration  in  several  lectures 
already.  But  it  does  behoove  us  to  answer  the  ques- 
tion, how  by  such  an  arrangement  the  repentance  of 
the  sinner  so  saved,  his  reformation  from  disobedience  to 
obedience,  is  brouo;ht  about?  for  unless  such  a  chanoje 
in  the  sinner,  pardoned  and  blest,  be  secured,  the  end 
of  religion  is  lost,  and  Christ  made,  as  our  apostle  ex- 
presses it,  "  a  minister  of  sin."  The  opponents  of  the 
doctrine  of  free  grace,  of  justification  by  faith  alone, 
(they  are  identical,  being  two  forms  of  expi-essing  the 
same  thing,)  press  upon  us  as  they  think  a  serious  diffi- 
culty, as  if  we  took  away  from  before  the  sinner  all 
motive  to  do  right  and  abstain  from  wrong.  We  and 
our  Reformed  church  here,  out  of  the  word  of  God, 
contend  in  reply,  that,  so  far  from  taking  away  our 
motives  to  do  riglit,  the  doctrine  of  grace  not  only  pre- 
serves those  which  spring  from  the  law,  but,  also,  adds 
those  of  a  far  more  influential  and  more  generous  char- 
acter ;  nay,  that,  instead  of  encouraging  or  even  tolerat- 
ing a  wilful  practice  of  sin,  the  gospel  expressly  with- 
holds from  all  wilful  transgressors  any  part  in  the  sal- 
vation by  Christ.  We  deny,  it  is  true,  that  good  works 
have  any  share  in  procuring  our  justification  with  God, 
but  we  assert  as  confidently,  that  they  certainly,  be- 
cause necessarily,  follow  the  justification  of  the  sin- 
ner through  faith  in  Christ,  or,  in  other  words,  that 
his  good  works  are  not  offered  to  merit  favor  with  God, 
but  as  evidences  of  gratitude  for  his  favor  already  con- 
ferred in  honor  of  Christ's  merits. 


368  OF   THANKFULNESS.  [Lect.  XL. 

Our  Catechism,  in  its  lesson  for  the  first  Lord's  Day, 
taught  us  that  there  are  tliree  things  whicli  we  must 
know  in  order  to  our  enjoyment  of  the  comfort  in  life 
and  death  whicli  the  Christian  religion  alone  can  give  : 
first,  how  great  our  sins  and  miseries  are  ;  secondly, 
how  we  may  be  delivered  from  all  our  sins  t^i.d  miseries  ; 
and  thirdly,  diow  we  shall  express  oiir  gratitude  to  God 
for  such  deliverance.  The  first  and  the  second  we 
have  already  treated  of  at  large.  We  are  now  to  treat 
of  the  third,  which  will  embrace  all  our  remaining 
expositions  of  the  Catechism,  For,  as  Van  der  Kemp 
and  other  commentators  on  our  book  have  ])ointed  out, 
this  third  part  of  the  Catechism  has  fi\e  jnirticulars. 
I.  The  necessity  of  good  works  (86th  and  87th  Ques- 
tions and  Answers).  II.  The  principle  from  which 
they  proceed,  conversion  (88,  89,  90).  III.  Their 
nature  (91).  IV.  Their  rule,  the  law  of  Grod  (92- 
115).  V.  The  means  of  performing  them,  prai/er 
(116-129).     Our  subject  to-day  is  — 

The  Necessity  of  Good  Works  in  a  Christian. 

This  the  Catechism  argues,  in  the  first  place,  from 
the  effects  of  that  renewino;  grace  of  Christ  which  al- 
ways  accompanies  his  pardoning  grace ;  and,  secondly, 
from  the  testimony  of  Scripture  that  none,  who  con- 
tinue in  wicked  lives,  shall  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God. 

First  :  The  effects  of  that  renewing  grace  of  Christ 
which  always  accomjjanies  his  pardoning  grace. 

1.  What  is  this  renewing  grace  ? 

"  Christ,  having  redeemed  and  delivered  us  by  his 
blood,  also  renews  us  by  his  Holy  Spirit  in  his  own 
image." 

The  purpose  of  God  in  Christ  is,  undoubtedly,  to 
deliver  his  people,  or  all  who  believe  on  his  name,  from 


l.HCT.  XL.]  OF   THANKFULNESS.     '  369 

eternal  death,  which  is  the  just  punishment  of  their 
sins,  and  to  brino-  them  acrfiin  into  favor  with  God. 
But,  as  has  been  repeatedly  shown,  deliverance  from 
punishment  is  a  small  part  of  that  salvation.  If  it 
went  no  farther,  the  mercy  shown  would  be  a  weak- 
ness, which  we  cannot  without  great  impiety  charge 
upon  the  Holy  One  of  Israel,  —  a  mere  pity  for  the  sin- 
ner's sufferings  without  regard  to  his  character.  Where, 
then,  were  the  use,  the  authority,  or  holiness  of  his  law  ? 
To  show  that  such  is  not  the  case,  he  not  only  insists 
on  the  repentance  of  every  one  who  would  enter  into 
Christ's  kingdom,  but,  as  an  article  of  the  covenant 
with  Christ  as  the  Saviour  of  sinners,  he  has  required 
that  Christ  should  also  be  the  judge  of  men  at  the  last 
day,  and  then  vindicate  the  justice  of  mercy  by  con- 
demning all  the  impenitent,  or  all  who  wilfully  lead 
wicked  lives,  thereby  showing  that  they  have  no  part 
in  the  kingdom  of  grace. 

The  Father  has  given  to  Christ  his  people  as  the 
reward  of  his  mediatorial  righteousness,  but  on  the 
express  condition  that  they  might  be  "  redeemed  from 
all  iniquity,"  and  purified  as  "  a  peculiar  people,  zeal- 
ous of  good  works  "  ;  and  so  agreeable  to  the  holy 
Saviour  is  this  condition,  that  such  a  change  in  the  sin- 
ner was  his  main  purpose  in  giving  himself  for  us. 
"  Ye  are  not  your  own,"  says  the  apostle,  "  for  ye  are 
bought  with  a  price  ;  therefore  glorify  God  in  your  body 
and  spirit  which  are  God's."  Nay,  this  is  the  covenant 
which  the  Saviour  himself  makes  with  the  true  Israel : 
*•'  I  will  put  my  laws  into  their  mind,  and  write  them 
in  their  hearts  ;  and  I  will  be  to  them  a  God,  and  they 
shall  be  to  me  a  people."  We  also  know  that  his  name 
was  called  "  Jesus  "  (Deliverer),  "  for  he  shall  save  his 

VOL.     II.  24: 


370  OF  THANKFULNESS.  [Lect.  XL. 

people  from  their  sins,"  The  texts  to  the  same  import 
are,  as  you  know,  very  numerous.  It  was  to  accom- 
phsh  this  purpose  that,  after  finishing  the  atonement, 
he  ascended  up  on  high  and  took  his  seat  at  the  right 
hand  of  God  as  a  "  Prince  and  a  Saviour,"  "  to  give 
repentance  to  Israel  and  forgiveness  of  sins."  For 
this,  also,  he  asks  and  receives  of  the  Father,  and  sends 
down  upon  his  people,  the  grace  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
who  by  his  divine  power  regenerates,  converts,  enlight- 
ens, strengthens,  and  sanctifies  them  to  the  service  of 
God,  gradually,  but  in  the  end,  surely  and  completely. 
Thus  is  Christ  made  unto  us  "  wisdom,  and  righteous- 
ness, and  sanctification,  and  redemption."  The  grace 
of  pardon  and  the  grace  of  sanctification  always  go  to- 
gether. The  sanctification  is  the  sealing  of  the  pardon, 
and  the  earnest  of  the  perfect  redemption. 

Nay,  it  is  impossible  in  the  nature  of  things  that  it 
should  be  otherwise,  for  not  only  from  the  penal  enact- 
ments of  God,  but  also  from  the  connection  of  moral 
cause  and  effect,  misery  must  follow  wilful,  unrepented 
sin.  Christ  could  not,  (we  speak  it  with  reverence,) 
so  long  as  the  holy  God  is  the  blessed  God,  save  from 
misery  those  who  choose  to  go  on  in  the  ways  of  wick- 
edness, because  they  will  not  use  the  only  means  of 
happiness.  In  or  out  of  Christ,  there  is  no  peace,  there 
can  be  no  peace,  for  the  wicked. 

Besides,  the  believer  by  the  very  terms  of  the  re- 
demption is  united  to  Christ ;  he  is  made  one  with  him 
as  his  representative  ;  and  the  union  with  Christ  is  so 
vital  and  personal,  that  the  Holy  Spirit  which  is  in 
Christ  the  head,  lives  and  reigns  in  all  his  members. 
Therefore,  as  the  Catechism  asserts,  he  is  renewed  after 
Christ's  own  image.     Tiiat  image,  or  likeness  of  Christ, 


Lkct.  XL.]  OF  THANKFULNESS.  371 

is  the  seal  of  the  Spirit  by  wliich  he  stamps  the  believ- 
er's soul  as  belonging  to  Christ.  So,  for  the  believer, 
to  live,  is  Christ ;  he  lives  in  Christ,  with  Christ,  to 
Christ,  for  Christ.  Christ  is  formed  in  him,  —  "  Christ 
in  you,  the  hope  of  glory."  So  invariably  is  this  the 
case,  that  "  if  any  man  have  not  the  spirit  of  Christ," 
which  is  the  spirit  of  holy  obedience  and  filial  love, 
"  he  is  none  of  his." 

2.  a.  This  grace  of  the  Spirit  does  not  operate  in  us 
as  a  mere  force  or  impulse,  but  morally,  that  is,  accord- 
ing to  the  laws  by  which  moral  creatures  are  governed. 
Hence,  the  most  lively  gratitude  is  awakened  in  the 
soul  towards  God  for  our  redemption  from  eternal  death 
and  the  restoration  of  the  divine  favor  by  the  work  of 
Christ.  The  believer,  conscious  of  these  infinite  and 
inestimable  blessings,  asks,  "  What  shall  I  render  unto 
the  Lord  for  all  his  benefits  toward  me  ?  "  The  salva- 
tion has  been  all  of  grace,  —  for  Christ's  sake,  without 
any  merit  of  ours  ;  and,  for  the  same  reason,  nothing 
that  we  can  do  for  God  can  in  any  degree  be  a  repay- 
ment of  his  kindness.  God,  who  has  given  us  all,  needs 
not  anything  at  our  hands.  Still,  and  so  much  the 
more,  the  believer  is  ardently  desirous  of  testifying  his 
thankfulness  by  more  than  feeling  or  words.  What 
then  will  be  most  acceptable  to  God  ?  What  is  it  he 
most  delights  to  see  in  his  children  ?  With  what  is  he 
most  pleased  in  his  Son  as  our  Surety,  and  for  the  sake 
of  which  he  has  given  us  all  these  blessings  ?  It  is 
obedience,  the  honor  done  to  his  holy  law,  the  reflec- 
tion of  his  holiness  in  the  life  of  his  servants.  This, 
then,  is  the  thank-offering  we  are  to  render  him.  Our 
whole  conduct  is  to  testify  by  its  submission  to  his  will 
and  the  doing  of  his  commands  how  strong,  stronger 


372  OF  THANKFULNESS.  [Lect.  XL. 

than  any  other  motive,  is  our  sense  of  his  loving-kind- 
ness. Thus  the  apostle,  in  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans, 
after  having  demonstrated  the  freeness  and  the  fulness 
of  salvation  by  Christ,  opens  the  practical  application 
of  the  doctrine  in  these  words  :  "  I  beseech  you,  there- 
fore, brethren,  by  the  mercies  of  God,  that  ye  present 
your  l)odies  [that  is,  our  whole  conduct  while  in  the 
body]  a  living  sacrifice,  holy,  acceptable  unto  God, 
which  is  your  reasonable  service."  So,  also,  we  read 
that  true  "  faith  worketh  by  love  "  (Gal.  v.  6)  ;  that 
he  purifieth  the  hearts  of  his  people  by  faith  (Acts  xv. 
9)  ;  and  that  faith  is  the  victory  [or  the  victorious 
principle]  "  which  overcometh  the  workl  "  (1  John  v. 
5).  It  works  by  love,  because  it  excites  this  gratitude 
in  the  heart ;  as  we  read  :  "  The  love  of  Christ  con- 
straineth  us  ;  because  we  thus  judge,  that  if  one  died 
for  all,  then  were  all  dead;  and  that  he  died  for  all, 
that  they  which  live  should  not  henceforth  live  unto 
themselves,  but  unto  him  which  died  for  them,  and  rose 
again  ;  "  it  purifies  the  heart,  because  in  proportion  as 
love  for  Christ  occupies  our  affections,  every  impure 
desire  will  be  expelled  from  it ;  and  it  overcomes  the 
world,  because  all  that  the  world  has  to  tempt  us  will 
be  overcome  by  the  strength  of  this  love  for  Christ, 
who  calls  us  out  of  the  world  to  his  service. 

This  is  strengthened  by  the  fact  that  the  whole 
scheme  of  our  redemption  is  for  the  greater  glory  of 
God,  and  that  his  glory  is  to  be  seen  in  the  marvellous 
change  of  sinners,  vile  and  lost,  to  holy,  faithful  chil- 
dren. There  is  the  purpose  of  God  the  Father,  the 
reward  of  God  the  Son,  the  work  of  God  the  Holy 
Ghost ;  and  it  is  for  this  that  God  has  made  a  church 
for  himself  in  the  world.    So  the  apostle  Peter  reasons  : 


Lect.  XL.]  OF   THANKFULNESS.  373 

"  Ye  are  a  chosen  generation,  a  royal  priesthood,  an 
holy  nation,  a  peculiar  people,  that  ye  should  show 
forth  the  praises  of  him  who  hath  called  you  out  of 
darkness  into  his  marvellous  light."  A  godly  life  is 
the  homage  of  the  believer  to  the  God  of  salvation.  It 
is,  therefore,  impossible  that  any  one  who  truly  be- 
lieves in  Christ  as  his  Saviour,  should  not  be  desirous 
and  endeavor  to  do  good  works  for  the  praise  of  God. 
h.  From  this  it  follows  that  we  are  to  judge  of  our 
faith  by  the  effects  it  has  on  our  hearts  and  lives.  We 
are  saved  by  faith,  —  that  is,  by  faith  and  through  faith 
we  become  partakers  of  Christ's  blessings  in  the  redemp- 
tion. This  faith  assures  us  of  salvation  ;  but  the  Scrip- 
ture teaches  us  in  many  places  that  we  are  greatly  lia- 
ble to  be  deceived  in  this  most  important  matter.  The 
promises  of  God  cannot  deceive  us  :  it  must  be  certain 
that  he  who  believes  is  safe  ;  but  we  may  be  deceived 
as  to  the  reality  or  genuineness  of  our  faith  itself. 
There  is  a  spurious  faith,  or  a  persuasion  of  the  mind 
that  we  are  safe  in  Christ,  when  we  are  not,  but  are 
still  in  our  guilt.  The  New  Testament,  therefore,  and 
many  parts  of  the  Old,  insist  upon  our  taking  especial 
pains  to  certify  or  assure  ourselves  of  our  being  Chris- 
tians. So  the  apostle  exhorts  us  to  examine  ourselves 
whether  we  be  in  tlie  faith.  That  is  the  thing  to  be 
ascertained  :  for,  if  we  be  in  the  faith,  all  is  well  ;  if  we 
be  not  in  the  faith,  all  is  wrong.  But  with  what  test 
shall  \\Q  prove  or  try  ourselves  ?  How  may  we  know 
true  faith  from  false  faith?     The  Scripture  leaves  us  in 

no  doubt  here.     "  Faith  without  works  is  dead 

For  as  the  body  without  the  spirit  is  dead,  so  faith  with- 
out works  is  dead  also."  Unless  our  belief  be  a  living 
principle,  moving  us  to  good  works,  it  is  spurious  ;  for 


374  OF  THANKFULNESS.  [Lect.  XL. 

our  Saviour  tells  us  that  "  not  every  one  that  saitli  unto 
me  Lord,  Lord,  shall  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven, 
but  he  that  doetli  the  will  of  my  Father  which  is  in 
heaven."  So,  not  to  multiply  texts,  the  Psalmist, 
when  asking  divine  help  in  his  self-examination,  prays  : 
"  Search  me,  O  God,  and  know  my  heart ;  try  me,  and 
know  my  thoughts  ;  and  see  if  there  be  any  wicked 
way  in  me  ;  and  lead  me  in  the  way  everlasting."  If 
our  faith  does  not  work  by  love,  if  it  does  not  purify 
our  hearts,  if  it  does  not  lead  us  to  overcome  the  world, 
it  is  spurious  ;  for  the  assurance  of  faith,  as  our  Cate- 
chism teaches,  consists  not  in  the  simple  persuasion  of 
the  mind  that  we  are  in  Christ,  but  in  the  evidences  of 
its  sanctifying  power.  So  the  believer  is  faithful  to 
maintain  good  works  that  he  may  be  assured  in  himself 
of  the  fruits  thereof. 

c.  For  the  same  reason  that  the  believer  desires  to 
glorify'  God  by  his  own  godly  life,  he  desires  that  other 
sinners  may  be  brought  to  glorify  him  also  ;  and  the 
method  by  which  he  is  to  seek  the  satisfaction  of  his 
desire  is  very  obvious  :  "  Let  your  light  [that  is,  your 
faith  in  the  gospel]  so  shine  before  men  that  they  may 
see  your  good  works,  and  glorify  your  Father  which  is 
in  heaven."  So  the  apostle  Peter  :  "  Having  a  good 
conscience,  that  whereas  they  speak  evil  of  you,  as  of 
evil-doers,  they  may  be  ashamed  that  falsely  accuse 
your  good  conversation  in  Christ."  Again,  in  the 
Epistle  to  the  Hebrews  :  "  Let  us  hold  fast  the  profes- 
sion of  -our  faith  without  wavering  (for  he  is  faithful 
that  promised)  ;  and  let  us  consider  one  another  to 
provoke  imto  love  and  to  good  works."  Our  blessed 
Lord  did  not  only  proclaim  his  mission  to  be  divine, 
but  pro\ed  it  to  be  so  by  his  miraculous  works  of  heal 


Lkct.  XL.]  OF  THANKFULNESS.  375 

ing  and  life-giving  power.  All  those  works  were  sym- 
bolical of  his  gracious  works  in  the  salvation  of  souls 
from  death  and  sin.  His  miracles  of  healing  the  body 
ceased  when  their  purpose  was  accomplished  ;  but  the 
greater  miracles  of  renewing  and  sanctifying  the  hearts 
and  lives  of  sinners  will  continue  until  the  end  of  time 
to  prove  the  gospel  divine.  This  is  his  own  appointed 
method,  which  Christians  are  to  pursue  when  their 
gratitude  for  the  love  which  Christ  has  shown  their  own 
souls  moves  them  to  win  the  impenitent  from  the  ways 
of  sin,  and  to  animate  the  flaoo-ino-  zeal  of  their  fellow- 
Christians  in  their  Master's  honor.  This  is  a  most  sol- 
emn consideration  for  us,  who  profess  the  religion  of 
Christ.  We  cannot  be  indifferent  to  the  practice  of 
others,  and  be  innocent.  Our  lives  should  be  constant 
testimonies  before  the  world  that  the  gospel  teaches  us 
to  do  justice,  to  love  mercy,  and  to  walk  humbly  with 
God.  Nay,  we  should  give  this  testimony  for  the  ex- 
press purpose  of  winning  others  to  glorify  our  God  in  a 
religious  life. 

Thus  have  we  learnt  that  true  faith  is  the  means  by 
which  the  grace  of  Christ  brings  sinners  to  repentance, 
and  fits  believers  through  a  godly  practice  on  earth  for 
the  holy  blessedness  of  heaven  ;  and  that  the  method 
by  which  faith  works  is  the  inclining  our  hearts  through 
a  grateful  love,  to  do  tiie  will,  and  seek  the  glory  of 
our  God  and  Saviour.  Therefore,  though  we  are  saved 
by  grace  alone,  wholly  on  account  of  Christ's  merits, 
and  though  our  own  works  have  no  merit  in  the  sight 
of  God,  we  must  still  do  good  works  to  prove  our 
thankfulness,  to  advance  our  Saviour's  praise,  to  assure 
ourselves  that  our  faith  is  genuine,  and  to  persuade  our 
fellow-men  to  seek  the  same  salvation,  and  glorify  God 
by  a  Cin-istian  life. 


376  OF  THANKFULNESS.  [Lect.  XL 

Secondly  :  The  testimony  of  Scripture  that  none  ivho 
continue  in  wicked  lives  shall  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God. 

This,  though  very  properly  repeated  for  tlie  enforce- 
ment of  the  truth,  is  but  a  repetition  of  the  jirevious 
argument,  and  needs  no  demonstration  other  than  the 
direct  testimonies  of  Holy  Scripture.  No  religious 
opinion  can  be  sound  whicli  tolerates  a  wilful  persever- 
ance in  known  sin.  The  gospel  was  sent  to  turn  men 
from  wickedness  to  the  service  of  God,  and  the  heaven 
which  it  ])romises  is  holy  and  ])ure,  receiving  into  its 
blessedness  none  who  love  sin.  It  is  as  true  now  as  be- 
fore Christ  came,  that  "  the  wicked  shall  be  cast  into 
hell  with  all  the  nations  who  forget  God."  God  will 
have  mercy  upon  all  who  truly  rely  on  Christ  for  salva- 
tion, but  the  main  part  of  that  salvation  is  deliverance 
from  the  power  of  sin.  Therefore,  none  truly  rely 
upon  Christ,  or  trust  in  his  mercy,  who  are  not  sin- 
cerely penitent,  and  who  do  not  earnestly  endeavor  by 
his  grace  to  follow  his  example. 

Beloved,  let  us  examine  ourselves  by  these  tests 
whether  we  be  in  Christ  or  not.  It  will  be  a  fearful 
thing  if,  after  professing  ourselves  Christians,  we  should 
fall  at  last,  because  of  our  neglects  or  our  vices,  into 
the  bitter  pains  of  etei'nal  death  ! 


LECTURE    XLL 

THE  NATURE  OF  TEUE  CONVERSION. 

FIRST   LECTURE. 


THIRTY-THIRD  LORD'S  DAY. 
THE   NATURE   OF   TRUE   CONVERSION. 

(first   lecture.) 

Quest.  LXXXVIII.  Of  how  many  parts  doth  the  true  conversion  of  man 
consist  ? 

Ans.  Of  two  parts.  Of  the  mortification  of  the  old,  and  of  the  quicken- 
ing of  the  new  man. 

Quest.  LXXXIX.      What  is  the  mortifcation  of  the  old  man  ? 

Ans.  It  is  a  sincere  sorrow  of  heart  that  we  have  provoked  God  by  our 
sin? ;  and  more  and  more  to  hate  and  tiee  from  them. 

Quest.  XC.     What  is  the  quickening  of  the  new  man  1 

Ajfs.  It  is  a  sincere  jo}'  of  heart  in  God,  through  Christ,  and  with  love 
and  delight  to  live  according  to  the  will  of  God  in  all  good  works. 

Quest.  XCI.     What  are  good  icorks  ? 

Ans.  Only  those  which  proceed  from  a  true  faith,  and  are  performed  ac- 
cording to  the  law  of  God  and  to  his  glory  ;  and  not  such  as  are 
founded  on  our  imaginations,  or  the  institutions  of  men. 

TN  our  lesson  for  the  last  Lord's  clay  we  were  taught 
-^  that  the  consequence  of  our  deliverance  from  misery 
by  the  grace  of  Christ  through  faith  is  our  doing  of  good 
works  as  the  fruits  of  a  lively  and  constrainino-  crrati- 
tude,  and,  therefore,  that  they  who  by  their  wilful 
continuance  in  wicked  lives  prove  their  not  having 
been  converted  unto  God,  can  have  from  the  doctrine 
of  the  gospel  no  true  hope  of  salvation.  It  follows, 
properly,  that  we  should  ascertain  what  true  conversion 
of  a  sinner  to  God  is,  or,  as  the  Catechism  has  it,  in 
what  true  convei'sion  consists, — the  knowledge  of  which 
will  discover  plainly  what  a  Christian  means  by  good 
works.  These  two  points  are  handled  in  the  lesson 
which  Ave  are  now  to  study. 


380    THE  NATURE  OF  TRUE  CONVERSION.   [I-ect.  XLI. 

First  :  Tlie  7iature  of  true  conversion.  (88th,  89th, 
90th  Questions  and  Answers.) 

Secondly  :  The  nature  of  good  ivorhs.  (91st  Ques- 
tion and  Answer.) 

FiKST  :   The  nature  of  true  conversion. 

I.  Tlie  j)urpose  of  God  in  the  gospel  being  to  deliver 
"  his  peoj)le  from  the  power  "  as  well  as  tlie  guilt  "  of 
their  sins,"  there  must  be  wrought  in  all  those  who  are 
partakers  of  that  salvation,  a  radical  change  from  a  sin- 
ful to  a  holy  life.  This  transformation  will  be  complete 
in  the  fulness  of  the  redemption,  that  is,  when  the  be- 
liever is  taken  up  to  be  with  Christ,  his  Head  and  Fore- 
runner ;  but  on  earth  it  is  gradual,  though  surely  pro- 
gressive. This  process  we  commonly  call  sanctifica- 
tion.  There  must,  therefore,  be  a  beginning  of  this 
transformation  or  sanctification,  a  time  when  the  tide 
of  the  soul's  moral  life  is  turned  from  its  natural  ebb 
towards  eternal  death  and  flows  toward  heaven.  This 
act  of  change  we  call  conversion. 

Salvation  beins;  all  of  grace,  the  conversion  of  a  sin- 
ner  from  sin  to  God's  service  must  be  from  a  sovereign, 
divine  power,  exerted  in  the  sinner's  soul,  changing  its 
principles  and  motives  of  conduct ;  but  as  the  operation 
of  grace  is  through  the  moral  faculties  of  free  agents, 
and  not  a  mere  foi'ce  impelling  us  against  our  will  and 
understanding,  the  sinner,  called  effectually  by  divine 
grace,  turns  himself  by  the  divine  strength  so  imparted 
to  him.  Conversion,  therefore,  is  indeed  accomplished 
by  the  grace  of  God,  but  it  is  also  the  act  of  the  sinner 
himself.  In  the  former  part  of  the  Catechism,  on  our 
Deliverance,  we  found  conversion,  or  the  change  from 
the  old  to  the  new  man,  among  the  "  benefits"  wliich 
we  "  receive  from  the  death  and  sacrifice  of  Christ  on 


Lect.  XLI.]     THE   NATURE   OF    TRUE   CONVERSION.  38] 

the  cross  "  (Question  43d),  and  there  we  treated  of  it 
as  the  act  of  God.  This  conversion  of  tlie  sinner  by 
God  is  also  called  by  Scripture  regeneration,  or  the 
begetting  again  by  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost  with 
the  seed  of  the  word  (1  Peter  i.  23),  because  it  is  an 
imparting  of  a  new  moral  life  to  the  soul,  from  whicli 
holy  actings  will  proceed.  Here  we  find  conversion 
among  the  evidences  of  our  thankfulness  to  God  for 
having  "  delivered  us  from  the  power  of  darkness  and 
translated  us  into  the  kingdom  of  his  dear  Son." 
Hence,  we  are  now  to  consider  it  as  the  act  of  the 
sinner  under  the  influence  of  divine  grace. 

II.  The  Catechism  declares  this  true  conversion  to 
consist  in  two  parts.  1.  The  mortification  of  the  old 
man.      2.    The  quickening  of  the  new  man. 

Let  us,  before  proceeding  farther,  ascertain  the  mean- 
ing of  these  terms.  The  contrasted  expressions  "  old 
man  "  and  "  new  man  "  are  taken  from  Scripture.  The 
apostle  (Eph.  iv.  22-24)  says  :  "  That  ye  put  off  con- 
cerning the  former  conversation  [conduct]  the  old  man, 
which  is  corrupt  according  to  the  deceitful  lusts,  and 
be  renewed  in  the  spirit  of  your  mind  ;  and  that  ye 
put  on  the  new  man,  which  after  God  is  created  in 
righteousness  and  true  holiness"  [holiness  of  truth]. 
Man,  here,  is  put  for  our  moral  nature  :  "  the  old  man," 
for  the  nature  we  are  born  with,  —  whence  it  is  also 
called  "  the  natural  man  "  (1  Cor.  ii.  14)  ;  "  the  new 
man,"  for  the  holy  nature,  which  we  derive  from  the 
Holy  Spirit  in  regeneration,  —  whence  it  is  also  called 
"•  spiritual."  We  inherit  the  first  from  the  first  Adam  ; 
we  receive  the  second  by  faith  from  the  second  Adam, 
who  is  Christ.  "  Mortification  "  and  "  quickening  " 
are  also  scriptural  words.     Mortification  signifies,  liter- 


382  THE  NATURE  OF   TRUE  CONVERSION.     [Lect.  XLI. 

ally,  slaying  or  putting  to  death,  and  hence,  metaphori- 
cally, deadening.  "  If  ye  through  the  spirit  do  mortify 
[^aiaroDre]  the  deeds  of  the  body,  ye  shall  live"  (Rom. 
vii.  13).  "Mortify  [i/eKpcoo-are j ,  therefore,  your  mem- 
bers which  are  upon  the  earth  "  (Col.  iii.  5).  Quicken- 
ing is,  hterally,  reviving,  or  making  alive  [^woTrotew],  and 
hence  may  have  the  metaphorical  sense  of  strengthen- 
ing, or  increasing,  life.  Strictly  speaking,  only  God  can 
kill  the  old  man,  or  revive  —  make  to  life  —  the  new 
man  ;  yet  here,  and  in  close  accordance  with  Scripture, 
the  believer  has  a  personal  agency  in  mortifying  the 
one  and  quickening  the  other.  We  are  taught,  also, 
that  the  mortification  of  our  old  nature  and  the  quick- 
ening of  our  new  nature  are  carried  on  by  the  believer 
simultaneously  in  the  continuous  process  of  conversion, 
or  transformation  ;  which  shows,  that,  though  the  new 
life  is  implanted,  it  is  not  immediately,  or  without  resist- 
ance, perfectly  paramount  in  the  soul,  but  is  opposed 
and  hindei-ed  by  our  old  nature,  not  yet  utterly  killed, 
though  it  has  had  its  death-blow.  Conversion,  there- 
fore, on  our  part,  is  a  struggle  or  conflict  which  the 
believer,  animated  by  the  grace  of  God  in  the  new  life, 
maintains  against  the  power  of  sin  "  which  still  remain- 
eth,  against  our  will,  in  us  ";  and  this  conflict,  though 
the  new  life  must  be  ultimately  victorious,  is  sharp  and 
often  with  various  alternations  or  vacillations  to  either 
side.  It  is  the  new  life  within  our  carnal  nature,  and, 
therefore,  oj)posed  and  impeded  by  the  lusts  and  infirm- 
ities of  our  fallen,  or  old  nature.'  This  the  apostle 
describes  (Rom.  vii.  19-25)  :  "  The  good  that  I  would 
I  do  not ;  but  the  evil  which  I  would  not,  that  I  do. 
Now,  if  I  do  that  I  would  not,  it  is  no  more  I  that  do 
it,  but  sin  that  dwelleth  in  me.     I  find  then  a  law  [a 


Lect.  XLI.]     the  nature  OF  TRUE  CONVERSION.  383 

principle]  that  when  I  would  do  good,  evil  is  present 
with  me.  For  I  delight  in  the  law  of  God  after  the 
inward  man  ;  but  I  see  another  law  in  my  members, 
warring  against  the  law  of  my  mind  and  bringing  me 
into  captivity  to  the  law  of  sin  which  is  in  my  mem- 
bers. O  wretched  man  that  I  am !  ^V^ho  shall  deliver 
me  from  the  body  of  this  death  ?  I  thank  God  through 
Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.  So,  then,  with  the  mind  I  my- 
self serve  the  law  of  God,  but  with  tlie  flesh  tlie  law  of 
sin."     We  are  now  prepared  to  inquire, 

1.  What  is  the  mortification  of  the  old  man  ?  "  It 
is  a  sincere  sorrow  of  heart,  that  we  have  provoked 
God  by  our  sins  ;  and  more  and  more  to  hate  and  flee 
from  them." 

a.  "  A  sincere  sorrow  of  heart,  that  we  have  pro- 
voked God  by  our  sins."  It  is  the  believer  who  has 
this  sorrow.  Though  he  is  now  forgiven,  and  is  enjoy- 
ing the  favor  of  God  here,  and  the  hope  of  eternal 
blessedness  hereafter,  he  is  for  that  very  reason  more 
sorrowful  on  account  of  his  offences  against  God.  He 
mourns  his  past  sins  and  his  present  failures,  not  be- 
cause he  dreads,  like  a  slave,  the  punishment  he  de- 
serves and  cannot  escape  from,  but  because  he  has  done 
such  grievous  wrong  against  the  holy  God,  who  is  so 
kind  and  merciful  to  his  soul  in  Christ  Jesus.  He 
acknowledges  his  desert  of  hell,  and  shudders  at  the 
terrible  danger  he  hopes  to  escape,  but  he  rather  sees 
in  the  agonies  of  the  eternal  death  the  infinite  proof  of 
God's  condemnation  of  such  sins  as  he  has  committed, 
—  the  estimate  God  has  of  its  abominable  evil.  He 
trusts  for  mercy  through  the  righteousness  of  Christ, 
the  ground  of  his  atonement  (or  reconciliation)  to  God  ; 
but  the  infinite  means  provided,  because  necessary  for 


384  THE  NATURE  OF   TRUE  CONVERSION.     [Lect.  XLI. 

his  redemption  in  the  humihation,  painful  obedience, 
and  more  painful  sufferings  of  Christ  the  Son  of  God 
incarnate,  convinces  him  yet  more  of  the  guilt  of  all 
sin,  while  they  increase  immeasurably  his  love  for  the 
God  lie  has  offended,  and,  therefore,  his  sorrow  of  heart 
for  his  great  sins  against  his  heavenly  Father  and  best 
friend.  The  holiness  of  God  condemns  him,  the  right- 
eousness of  God's  law  condemns  him,  as  very  wicked 
and  degraded  ;  but  the  love  of  God  and  his  unspeak- 
able mercy  in  Christ  Jesus,  the  deep  humiliation  and 
bitter' sufferings  of  his  Saviour,  the  long-suflPering,  pa- 
tience, and  successful  perseverance  of  the  Holy  Ghost 
in  bringing  him,  notwithstanding  his  obstinate,  rebel- 
lious resistance,  into  salvation,  —  the  consideration  of 
these,  I  say,  show  him,  in  yet  darker  colors,  his  ex- 
treme baseness  and  utter  inexcusableness.  He  sees 
that  it  was  his  sin,  with  that  of  others  like  himself, 
which  brought  the  dreadful  wri^th  of  God  uj^on  Christ, 
his  surety  ;  that  all  his  healing  comes  from  the  stripes 
which  Christ  bore  in  his  stead,  and  all  his  hope  of  life 
from  the  exquisite  agonies  of  his  incarnate  Lord  dying 
the  death  man  deserved  to  die.  Therefore,  when  with 
true  faith  he  looks  upon  Christ  as  his  Saviour,  and  sees 
in  his  Lord's  glorified  body  the  scars  of  the  crucifixion, 
ho  remembers  all  that  Jesus  suffered  because  of  his 
guilt,  and  he  mourns  and  reproaches  himself  for  all  his 
sins.  He  sees,  also,  the  great  pains  the  blessed  Spirit 
has  taken  for  his  conversion,  in  giving  him  the  Holy 
Scripture,  and  all  the  other  means  of  grace,  with  oppor- 
tunities of  repentance  ;  in  pursuing  him  by  arguments 
and  warnings  and  invitations  and  promises  ;  in  pressing 
the  truth  closely  home  upon  his  understanding  and 
heart  and  conscience  ;  in  forcing,  as   it  were,  his  wav 


Lect.XLL]      the  nature  OF   TRUE  CONVERSION.  385 

into  his  soul,  enlightening  his  mind,  turning  his  affec- 
tions, and  graciously  overpowering  his  will,  and  now 
bringing  him  to  repentance  and  dwelling  within  him,  to 
move  and  strengthen  him  unto  those  good  works  which 
are  the  grateful  evidences  of  his  faith  in  Christ  ;  and, 
therefore,  he  sees  the  enormous  wickedness  of  those  sins 
of  his  which  insulted  and  grieved  and  wounded  the  Holy 
Spirit  at  the  very  time  the  Holy  Comforter  was  striv- 
ing to  save  him  ;  the  opportunities  he  desi)itefully  mis- 
improved  ;  the  obstinate  resistances  he  made  ;  the  wilful 
breaking  through  of  restraints  which  he  was  so  often 
guilty  of;  and,  even  now,  the  feeble  zeal  of  his  renewed 
mind  in  seconding  and  carrying  out  to  practice  the  re- 
ligious purposes  that  grace  has  inspired  him  with.  There 
is,  thus,  not  a  doctrine  or  fact  or  incident  of  the  salvation 
he  believes  to  be  his,  which  does  not  enhance  his  sorrow 
for  sin.  This  is  the  sorrow  which  is  the  sign  of  true  con- 
version, —  the  sorrow  for  sins  which  springs  from  an 
apprehension  (or  trustful  belief)  of  the  mercy  of  God 
in  Christ  Jesus  by  the  grace  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  Such 
sorrow  as  springs  only  from  a  fear  of  God's  wrath  on 
account  of  our  sins,  though  it  may  mingle  with  more 
gracious  motives  to  hate  sin,  is  no  proof  of  genuine 
repentance,  because  it  is  wholly  selfish,  a^nd  does  not 
bring  us  back  to  the  love  of  God.  It  is  not  necessarily 
sinful,  nay,  as  we  have  said,  it  may  aid  in  moving  the 
sinner  to  repentance,  but  in  itself  it  is  no  proof  of  our 
conversion,  and  in  the  absence  of, reliance  upon  Christ 
it  is  the  reverse,  —  a  sorrow  that  worketh  death,  be- 
cause there  is  no  submission  of  the  heart  to  God.  But 
the  sorrow  which  comes  from  faith  in  Christ's  love 
kills  in  the  heart  our  enmity  to  God,  and  bows  us  at  the 
feet  of  God,  weeping  yet  loving  children. 


386  THE  NATURE  OF  TRUE  CONVERSION.     LLect.  XLT. 

h.  We  leani  that  this  sorrow  is  not  a  mere  senti- 
ment or  emotion,  a  thing  of  sighs  and  tears  and  regrets, 
but  that  it  operates  as  an  energetic  principle,  making  us 
"  hate  "  all  sin,  and  resolutely  "  to  flee  from  it."  How 
can  they  who  have  seen  how  odious  siu  is  in  God's 
sight,  continue  to  offend  him  by  wilfully  committing  it? 
How  can  they  who  have  seen  what  their  sins  brought 
upon  Ciu-ist,  inflict  fresh  wounds  on  his  love,  and  before 
the  world  "  crucify,  as  it  wei'e,  the  Son  of  God  afresh 
and  put  him  to  an  open  shame  "  ?  How  can  they  who 
have  seen  that  sin  is  a  direct  insult  and  resistance  and 
grievance  to  the  Holy  Spirit  in  his  gracious  Avork  upon 
our  hearts,  throw  fresh  injuries  and  obstacles  in  his 
merciful  and  sanctifying  way  ?  The  believer,  there- 
fore, will  turn  from  sins  with  abhorrence,  he  will  hate 
them,  he  will  resist  temptation  to  them,  he  will  fly 
from  them  as  from  disgusting,  guilty,  perilous  enemies 
to  God  and  his  soul.  The  more  he  learns  of  God  in 
Christ,  the  more  he  enjoys  the  comforts  of  his  religion, 
the  more  will  he  hate  sin  and  fly  from  it.  Day  by  day, 
as  his  faith  strengthens,  will  he  "  mortify  "  "  the  old 
man,"  and  show  his  gratitude  to  God  in  Christ  by 
hating  all  that  God  hates,  and  avoiding  all  that  God 
has  forbidden. 

2.   The  quickening  of  the  new  man. 

"  It  is  a  sincere  joy  of  heart  in  God  through  Christ, 
and  with  love  and  delight  to  live  according  to  the  will 
of  God  in  all  good  works." 

a.  A  sincere  joy  of  heart  in  God  through  Christ. 

If  any,  hearing  us  discourse  of  the  sorrow  and  self- 
condemnations  and  painful  strugglings,  temptations 
within  and  without  us,  which  accompany  repentance, 
suppose  that  conversion  to  God  is  only  a  melancholy 


Lf.ct.  XLI.]     the  nature  OF  TRUE   CONVERSION.  387 

and  grievous  temper,  clouding  our  life  in  gloom,  and 
making  our  religious  practice  an  afflictive  penance, 
thej  need  farther  teaching  in  the  blessed  experience  of 
a  believing  soul.  As  the  "old  man  "  and  the  "new 
man  "  are,  so  long  as  our  Christian  life  is  in  the  mortal 
body  of  sin,  struggling  for  the  mastery,  and  the  old 
man,  our  worse  self,  must  be  resolutely  "mortified," 
we  must  feel  the  anguish  and  agonies  of  a  death,  an 
execution,  or,  as  the  Scripture  more  emphatically  calls 
it,  a  crucifixion  of  our  natural  tendencies  and  desires. 
Therefore  hate,  a  very  strong  passion,  is  sent  to  our  aid, 
that  we  may  set  ourselves  on  our  wickedness  with  the 
ardor  of  a  combatant,  who  minds  not  his  own  sufferings 
in  his  determination  to  inflict  death  on  his  foe.  But 
hate  is  not  enough  to  bear  us  victoriously  through. 
There  is  a  stronger  passion  yet,  —  the  power  most  preva- 
lent and  impelling  in  God  or  man,  —  love,  which  sheds 
through  the  faculties  and  affections  of  the  human  soul 
a  delicious  ardor,  absorbing  the  whole  nature  to  one 
j)urpose,  and  concentrating  all  its  forces  on  one  enter- 
prise. Faith  is  strong,  hope  is  stronger,  but  love  is 
strongest  in  all  the  operations  of  the  Christian  life.  It 
is  the  superlative  of  the  three  degrees  of  heavenly 
grace,  the  acme  of  the  climax  by  which  we  ascend  to 
God.  Hence,  in  this  most  difficult  work  of  our  con- 
version, love  alone  is  equal  by  divine  grace  to  its  ac- 
complishment, and  has  the  largest  share  in  tlie  process. 
God,  from  whom  comes  the  divine  life  which  assimi- 
lates us  to  himself,  is  love ;  and  love  to  God  is  so  iden- 
tified with  the  new  life,  that  we  cannot  distinguish  it 
from  the  life  itself  It  can  be  engendered,  quickened, 
nurtured,  jjerfected  only  by  love.  It  is  the  love  of  God 
in  Christ  which   awakens   love   in  our   hearts.     "  We 


388    .        THE  NATURE  OF   TRUE  CONVERSION.     [Lect.  XLI. 

love  liim  because  he  first  loved  us."  "  The  love  of 
Christ  constraineth  us  ...  to  live  not  unto  ourselves 
but  unto  him  who  died  for  us  and  rose  again."  It  is 
the  perception,  the  persuasion,  the  apprehension,  the 
bringing  home  to  himself  of  the  love  of  God  in  Christ, 
which  transforms  the  believer  by  an  all-pervading  en- 
ergy, thrilling,  subduing,  ej^citing  all  his  senses  into  a 
willing,  hapjiy,  obedient  creature  of  Christ's  will.  As 
in  his  life-giving  miracle  the  prophet  stretched  himself 
on  the  body  of  the  child,  so  does  Christ  by  the  Holy 
Spirit,  in  regenerating  love,  closely  embrace  the  soul  of 
his  choice,  warming  it  with  his  own  divine  warmth, 
breathing  into  it  his  own  divine  bi'eath,  until  it  returns 
the  glow,  the  breath,  the  clinging  embrace,  and  rises 
with  him  a  new  creature,  conscious  of  eternal  life. 

The  first  efll^'ect  of  this  love  of  God,  through  faith  in 
Christ,  is  joy  :  joy,  that  we  possess  Christ  as  our  own  ; 
joy  in  the  great  love  he  shows  to  us  ;  joy  in  the  delight- 
ful love  we  bear  towards  him  ;  joy  in  the  beauty  of  his 
holiness;  joy  that  we  may  partake  of  that  highest 
beaut}'  ;  joy  in  our  deliverance  from  the  displeasure  of 
him  whose  love  is  our  greatest  hajjpiness  ;  joy  in  the 
assured  hope  of  a  perfect,  eternal  consummation  of 
such  transcendent  bliss  ;  joy,  that  he  will  accept  any 
returns  of  our  gratitude  ;  joy,  that  he  enables  us  to 
make  those  returns  by  our  own  powers,  poor  in  them- 
selves, but  vigorous  from  his  imparted  grace  ;  joy,  that 
we  may  give  up  our  whole  lives,  all  we  are,  all  we 
have,  now  and  forever,  to  "  him  whom  "  our  "  soul 
loveth." 

Christian  joy,  joy  springing  from  such  a  source,  must 
be  more  than  a  lively  passion  or  a  rapturous  sentiment. 
It  inspires  the  soul  with  a  divine   energy,  and   gives  a 


Lect.  XLI.]     the   nature   OF   TRUE   CONVERSION.  389 

tone  of  vigorous  health  to  all  its  faculties.  "  The  joy 
of  the  Lord  is  your  strength,"  saith  the  Holy  Ghost  by 
the  prophet  to  Israel.  Therefore  the  Catechism,  in  its 
definition  of  conversion  :  "  With  love  and  delight  to 
live  according  to  the  M'ill  of  God  in  all  good  works." 
The  believer,  rejoicing  over  his  deliverance,  is  filled  with 
gratitude  to  his  deliverer,  and  ardently  gives  himself 
up  to  God's  service.  His  inquiry  is,  What  can  I  do  to 
please  him,  my  Father,  my  Saviour,  my  Sanctifier  ?  It 
is  now  his  delio-ht  to  obev  the  divine  will.  His  heart 
is  turned  from  sin  because  it  provokes  God  ;  he  hates 
it  and  would  fly  from  it.  So  when  he  discovers  what 
God's  law  requires,  he  not  only  assents  to  its  require- 
ments, but  rejoices  in  them,  and  delights  to  do  what  he 
loves  for  the  sake  of  him  whom  he  loves.  Far  from 
considering  those  commandments  grievous,  they  are  to 
him  a  perfect  law  of  liberty,  for  he  delights  in  the  law 
of  God  after  the  inward  man  ;  and  as  he  feels  the  new 
life  and  love  and  joy  in  God  through  Christ  filling  and 
animating  his  soul,  he  gladly  gives  all  his  strength  to 
every  good  work  which  Providence  lays  to  his  hand. 
It  is  no  longer  a  spirit  of  bondage,  making  him  a  reluc- 
tant servant  through  fear  of  wrath,  but  the  cheerful, 
earnest  obedience  of  a  child  loving  his  Father,  God, 
and  loving  the  work  his  Fatlier  gives  him,  that  he  may 
become  more  and  more  like  Christ,  with  whom  the 
Father  is  well  pleased,  and  through  whom  the  Father 
is  well  pleased  with  all  who  endeavor  to  follow  in  his 
steps. 

Such  is  the  nature  of  true  conversion. 

1.  It  is  accompanied  by  strong  emotions,  —  sorrow, 
and  joy,  and  hate,  and  love,  anguish  and  delight.  Yet 
it  is  a  fatal  mistake  that   mere  excitement  of  feeling. 


S90  THE  NATURE   OF   TliUE  CONVERSION.     [Lect.  XLI. 

even  though  it  be  about  religious  things,,  is  a  proof  of 
conversion.  Religion  does  not  lie  in  lieats  of  devotion 
or  exaggerated  passion.  The  heathen  are  so  excited  in 
their  idolatries,  as  were  the  Israelites  before  the  solden 
calf.  We  must  carefully  examine  whence  these  feelings 
come  :  Avhether  they  spring  from  our  having  offended 
God  or  not ;  whether  from  joy  in  God  or  not ;  whether 
our  hearts  are  converted  from  sin  to  the  service  of  God 
or  not. 

2.  We  have  described  the  converted  heart  under 
strong  terms,  setting  it  forth  in  the  manner  which, 
were  grace  perfect  in  us,  it  would  manifest  itself.  Still 
we  must  not  despair  of  God's  mercy,  or  doubt  his  re- 
newing o-race,  if  we  come  far  short  of  these  higli  sensi- 
bilities  and  of  the  holy  practice  which  the  law  of  God 
requires.  Conversion  is  a  change  begun,  it  is  true,  in 
regeneration,  but  not  consummated  until  the  believer 
enters  into  heaven.  He  hates  sin  and  flees  from  it  more 
and  more  ;  he  loves  God  and  delights  to  do  the  will  of 
God  in  good  works.  Yet  the  corruption  is  still  within 
him,  though  against  his  will ;  and  grace  is  still  in  conflict 
with  the  corrui)tion.  Nay,  the  conflict  rouses  the  cor- 
ruption to  a  desperate  resistance.  Before,  his  eyes  were 
blinded,  his  conscience  inert ;  he  did  not  see  or  feel  the 
vileness  and  misery  of  sin,  and  knew  not  how  great  a 
sinner  he  was.  Now,  his  sense  of  sin  is  keen.  He 
compares  himself  with  the  law  of  God,  the  claims  of 
God's  love  on  his  heart ;  and  in  proportion  as  he  desires 
and  endeavors  to  obey,  he  discovers,  to  his  shame  and 
grief,  his  evilness  of  heart,  his  shortcomings,  his  fail- 
ures, his  lapses.  He  mourns  that  he  hates  sin  so  little  ; 
that  he  loves  God  in  Christ  so  little  ;  that  he  sins  so 
often  ;  that  he  does  so  few  good   works,  and  those  so 


Lect.  XLI.]     the  nature  OF  TRUE  CONVERSION.  391 

feebly.  But  the  very  sharpness  of  the  conflict  proves 
the  activity  of  grace  ;  and  while  he  suffei's  that  his  spir- 
itual life  is  so  weak,  he  should  thank  God  with  joy  that 
he  is  no  longer  dead.  It  is  a  great  change  which  only 
the  grace  of  God  could  work,  that  the  current  of  his 
life  has  been  turned  from  love  of  sin  to  love  of  holiness, 
from  enmity  against  God  to  delight  in  the  way  of  God's 
commandments. 

3.  Hence  the  main  and  only  sufficient  evidence  of 
our  conversion  lies  in  our  principles.  If  the  old  man 
reigns  over  us,  and  we  yield  our  desires  and  our  affec- 
tions and  our  acts  to  its  corrupt  will,  we  are  yet  dead 
in  our  sins  ;  but  if  the  new  man  be  established  in  our 
hearts,  and  we  yield  to  its  godly  will  our  desires  and 
affections  and  acts,  sincerely  endeavoring  after  new 
obedience,  we  are  children  of  grace.  This  is  what  our 
church  says  in  her  office  for  the  holy  communion,  which 
is  the  profession  and  covenant  of  our  faith  in  Christ : 
"  We  do  not  come  to  the  supper  to  testify  thereby  that 
we  are  perfect  and  righteous  in  ourselves ;  but,  on  the 
contrary,  considering  that  we  seek  our  life  out  of  our- 
selves in  Christ,  we  acknowledge  that  we  lie  in  the 
midst  of  death.  Therefore,  notwithstanding  we  feel 
many  infirmities  and  miseries  in  ourselves,  as  namely, 
that  we  have  not  perfect  faith,  and  do  not  give  ourselves 
to  serve  God  with  that  zeat  as  we  are  bound,  and  have 
daily  to  strive  with  the  weakness  of  our  faith  and  the 
evil  lusts  of  our  flesh,  yet,  since  we  are,  by  the  grace 
of  the  Holy  Ghost,  sorry  for  these  weaknesses,  and 
earnestly  desirous  to  fight  against  our  unbelief,  and  to 
live  according  to  all  the  commandments  of  God,  there- 
fore we  rest  assured  that  no  sin  or  infirmity,  which  still 
remaineth  against  our  will  in  us,  can  hinder  us  from 


392  THE  NATURE  OF  TRUE  CONVERSION.     [Lect.  XLI/ 

being  received  of  God  in  mercy,  and  from  being  made 
worthy  partakers  of  the  heavenly  meat  and  drink." 

Lastly  :  We  see  how  vain  are  all  endeavors  after 
repentance  before  faith  in  Christ.  It  is  only  the  love 
of  God  in  Christ  that  can  change  the  enmity  of  our 
hearts  to  love.  It  ,is  only  our  love  to  God  in  Christ 
that  can  constrain  us  to  live  not  unto  ourselves  but  unto 
him.  Therefore,  the  contemplation  of  God's  love  to 
us  in  Christ  is  the  grand  means  of  cultivating  our  re- 
pentance and  accomplishing  our  conversion.  It  is  as 
we  look  up  to  our  crucified  Forerunner  on  his  throne, 
that  the  light  of  heaven  streams  down  on  our  souls, 
and  the  attraction  of  God's  holy  love  overcomes  the 
attraction  of  earth  and  sin.  Look  to  Jesus,  your 
Saviour ;  believe  in  him  and  hope  in  his  promise  ;  then 
shall  you  run  with  patience  the  race  set  before  you, 
and  at  last  come  to  perfect  rest,  in  the  perfect  enjoy- 
ment of  his  love. 


LECTURE     XLII. 


THE   NATURE   OF   GOOD   WORKS. 


SECOND    LECTURE. 


THIRTY-THIRD    LORD'S   DAY. 
THE  NATURE  OF  GOOD  WORKS. 

(second  lectuke.) 

Quest.  *XCI.     But  what  are  good  loorks  ? 

Ans.     Only  those  which  proceed  from  true  faith,  are  performed  according 

to  the  hiw  of  God  and  to  his  glory ;  and  not  such  as  are  founded  on 

our  imaginations,  or  the  institutions  of  men. 

/^LEAR  and  sufficient  as  this  definition  must  be  to 
^^  the  evangehcal  behever,  it  is  nevertheless  true  that 
the  subject  involves  ra,dical  questions  of  moral  philoso- 
phy which  have  engaged  the  greatest  and  keenest  minds 
from  the  beginning  of  inquiry  to  the  present  dav.  The 
results  of  these  long,  large,  and  able  discussions  have 
not  been  satisfactory,  for  the  war  of  opinions  is  as  vigor- 
ous as  ever.  It  does  not  consist  with  our  purpose  to 
occupy  ourselves  at  any  length  with  controversies  which 
have  lasted  for  more  than  two  thousand  years,  while  it 
would  be  the  exti'eme  of  presumption  to  attempt  a 
settlement  of  them  except  from  the  plain  teaching  of 
Holy  Scripture  ;  yet  a  sliglit  notice  of  the  more  impor- 
tant points  in  dispute  is  desirable  for  our  future  exposi- 
tions of  the  matter  before  us,  and  also  to  show  how 
impossible  it  is,  without  the  wisdom  from  on  high,  to 
find  the  path  of  truth  and  virtue. 

What  is  right  ?  This  question  meets  us  at  the  very 
outset  of  moral  investigation.  All  ai*e  practically 
agreed,  however  they  may  differ  in  terms  or  modes  of 


39G  THE  XATUHE  OF   GOOD   WORKS.      [Lect.  XLII. 

statement,  that  the  doino-  of  rio-ht  is  our  hio-hest  dutv 
and  best  wisdom.  But  what  is  right?  or  (for  it 
amounts  to  the  same  thing),  liow  shall  we  know 
what  is  right  ?  From  this  point  the  leaders  of  opin- 
ion, with  their  several  schools,  widely  diverge. 

Right  is  a  figurative  term,  synonymous  with  straight. 
But  to  ascertain  whether  or  not  our  conduct  is  right  or 
straight,  we  must  have  an  undoubted,  infallible,  attain- 
able rule  by  which  to  try  it.  Now,  by  what  rule  shall 
we  try  our  moral  acts  ?  Some  say,  the  rule  is  in  our 
own  souls.  We  are  so  constituted  that  the  soul  distin- 
guishes right  from  wrong  as  necessarily  and  naturally 
as  the  eye  perceives  proportion  or  the  ear  harmony. 
Hence  they  give  to  what  we  ordinarily  call  conscience 
the  name  of  moral  sense.  But,  passing  over  some 
grave  difficulties  in  this  scheme,  (as  the  imperfection 
of  our  moral  nature  which  renders  the  judgment  of 
our  consciences  untrustworthy,  and  the  manifest  fact 
of  a  diversity  in  the  moral  decisions  of  men,)  we  ask, 
if  we  be  so  constituted  as  to  discern  right  and  wrong, 
Who  gave  us  this  most  eminent  of  all  faculties  ?  and, 
as  the  answer  must  be,  God,  we  ask  again.  By  what 
standard  has  he  regulated  all  the  consciences  of  men  ? 
Should  we  be  answered,  The  fitness  of  things,  (or  the 
order  of  that  constitution  of  things  of  which  we  form 
a  part,)  the  difficulty  is  only  moved  a  step  farther  back  ; 
for  besides  the  impossibility  of  so  comparing  the  innu- 
merable parts  of  such  a  vast  and  complicated  system 
as  to  ascertain  what  the  fitness  of  things  requires  of  us,,, 
we  are  forced  to  ask  again,  According  to  what  rule  did 
the  Creator  organize  this  constitution  in  which  he  has 
placed  us  ?  We,  therefore,  come  inevitably  to  the 
question    which    has  long   been  agitated  by  profound 


I 


Lkct.  XLII.]      the  nature  OF   GOOD   WORKS.  897 

thinkers  :  whether  right  and  wrong  are  determined  hy 
the  simple  will  of  God,  or  by  an  eternal  rule  antece- 
dent to  and  independent  of  the  will  of  God  ? 

It  would  be  more  curious  than  profitable  to  relate 
the  many  extravagant  and  even  ridiculous  arguments 
and  suppositions  advanced  by  the  disputants  on  both 
sides,  especially  during  the  three  centuries  after  the 
middle  of  the  13th,  when  the  two  schools  of  Thomas 
Aquinas  and  Dun  Scotus  (Erigena)  convulsed  the  re- 
lioious  world  of  Europe  with  their  subtle  polemics.  The 
Thomists  held  with  Aquinas.,  who,  though  a  champion 
of  the  Augustinian  doctrine  of  the  Divine  Sovereignty, 
taught  that  God  always  wills  right,  but  that  he  wills  it 
because  it  is  right,  and  that  it  is  not  right  solely  because 
he  wills  it.  Hence  they  assumed  the  name  ol  Realists  : 
intimating  that  they  held  to  a  real,  not  an  arbitrary 
distinction  between  right  and  wrong.  On  the  other 
hand,  the  Scotists  held  that  what  God  wills  is  right, 
simply  because  he  wills  it,  and  that  had  he  commanded 
the  opposite,  which  is  now  wrong,  it  would  have  been 
right,  and  that  which  is  now  right  would  have  been 
wrono-.  Hence  they  were  called  Nominalists^  because 
they  held  that  right  was  right,  and  wrong  wrong  only 
because  God  declared  them  so  to  be,  and  not  from  any 
orioinal  quality  in  either  of  them. 

A  modest  searcher  after  divine  truth,  not  intoxicated 
by  metaphysical  subtleties,  shrinks  from  adopting  either 
extreme.  In  the  first  place,  though  the  terms  antece- 
dent and  independent  are  used  only  in  a  logical  sense, 
we  are  shocked  by  the  doctrine  that  anything  in  mor- 
als is  before  God,  or  independent  of  him  in  any  sense : 
which  would  be,  in  effect,  reviving  the  heathen  doc- 
trine of  fate    controlling   the    divinity.     Then,  again, 


398  THE  NATURE  OF  GOOD   WORKS.        [Lect.  XLII. 

we  are  as  much  shocked  by  the  bare  supposition  that 
God's  determination  of  right  and  wrong  is  merely 
arbitrary,  so  arbitrary  that  he  might  have  oi'dained  the 
reverse.  Let  us  see  if  tliere  be  not  a  way  of  satisfying 
ourselves  more  in  accordance  with  our  reverence  for 
the  God  of  the  Bible. 

The  will  of  God  flows  from  his  divine  nature,  which 
is  self-existent,  eternal,  and  infinitely  perfect.  This 
infinite  perfection  implies  perfect  consistency  in  all  the 
divine  thoughts,  purposes,  and  acts.  For  if  any  one  of 
these  were  contrary  to,  or  discordant  with,  any  one 
other,  he  would  not  be  perfect,  because  one  or  the  other 
of  the  differings  Avould  be  an  imperfection.  Thus  we 
should  place  the  eternal  rule  of  right  not  in  any  mere 
arbitrary  will  of  God,  because  his  nature  being  infi- 
nitely, therefore  unchangeably  perfect,  his  will  must 
be  in  accordance  with  his  nature.  Therefore  the  eter- 
nal law  of  right  can  be  found  only  in  the  self-caused 
nature  of  God,  or,  in  other  words,  the  entire  consist- 
ency of  God  with  himself.  Thus,  on  the  one  hand, 
the  will  of  God  in  determining  right  is  not  arbitrary 
because  it  is  consistent  with  his  infinite  nature  ;  and  on 
the  other  hand,  right  is  not  antecedent  to  or  indepen- 
dent on  God,  because  he  is  self-existent  and  eternal. 
The  holiness  of  a  moral  creature  is  his  conformity  to 
the  divine  character  so  far  as  a  finite  being  can  resem- 
ble the  infinite  ;  the  holiness  of  God  is  his  infinitely 
perfect  consistency  with  himself.  If  this  view  cannot 
resolve  the  difficulty  of  the  schoolmen,  it  will,  at  least, 
relieve  the  mind  of  the  child-like  Christian  who  can 
submit  himself  only  to  God.  To  repeat  what  we  said 
in  the  beginning,  we  must  have  a  rule  by  which  to  try 
our  moral  conduct ;  and  that  rule  must  be  ascertained, 


Lect.  XLII.J      THE  NATURE   OF   GOOD    WORKS.  399 

simple,  and  infallible.  We  cannot  delay  our  acts  until 
we  satisfy  ourselves  respecting  the  conclusions  of  general 
conscience,  or  the  fitness  of  things  ;  nor  from  what  we 
have  seen  of  men's  differences  in  sentiment  and  opinion, 
could  we  ever  come  to  an  undoubted  conclusion.  When 
the  most  learned  and  ingenious  disagree  so  widely,  the 
great  mass  of  mankind  cannot  be  expected  to  distin- 
ffuish  between  right  and  wrono;.  But  when  we  take 
the  law  of  God  for  our  standard,  we  conform  ourselves 
to  the  infinitely  wise  will  of  him  who  has  made  us  and 
all  things,  thereby  placing  us  in  relations  to  a  system 
so  harmonious  and  settled  that  any  violation  of  his  law 
would  be  a  violation  of  fitness,  and  any  violation  of  fit- 
ness a  violation  of  his  law.  We  must  go  farther.  It 
is  not  enough  that  we  conform  ourselves  to  the  law  of 
God,  but  we  must  take  it  as  our  rule,  because  it  is  the 
]&.w  of  God.  In  other  words,  we  must  obey,  not  thp 
law,  but  God  from  whom  the  law  proceeds.  Our  duty 
is  to  God  ;  his  law  is  the  rule  which  he  has  prescribed 
for  the  rendering  of  our  duty.  It  is  incorrect  to  speak 
of  our  obligation  to  right,  or  of  duty  to  law.  Right 
and  law  respect  the  relations  of  moral  beings,  but  are 
not  themselves  moral  beings,  and,  therefore,  cannot 
themselves  be  objects  of  duty.  That  goes  beyond  or 
through  the  law  to  the  being  or  beings  with  whom  we 
are  in  relation.  This  is  clearly  shown  by  the  scriptural 
fact  that  love  is  the  fulfilling  of  the  law,  and  by  the 
summary  of  the  law  in  supreme  love  to  God  and  love 
to  our  neighbor  as  ourselves.  Such  an  affection  cannot 
be  rendered  to  a  law,  or  a  principle,  but  can  be  given 
only  to  another  conscious  moral  being.  We  cannot 
keep  the  law  of  God  without  supreme  love  to  him,  and 


400  TEIE   NATUKE  OF   GOOD   WORKS.      [Lect.  XLII 

therefore  our  obedience  is  clue  to  God  who  ordained  the 
law,  not  to  the  law  itself.  It  is,  therefore,  most  iinphil- 
osophical  to  attempt  a  transference  of  our  obedience 
from  the  will  of  God  to  a  mere  principle  or  rule,  —  an 
error  they  commit  who  would  place  our  rule  of  right 
elsewhere  than  in  the  divine  will.  To  tell  me  that  I 
must  do  right  "simply  because  it  is  right,  and  not  be- 
cause it  is  the  will  of  God,  is  to  say  that  God  sliould 
have  no  place  in  morals.  It  is  true  that  God  rewai'ds 
those  who  do  right,  and  punishes  those  who  do  wrong  ; 
but  to  put  my  obligation  on  that  principle  is  to  make 
God  only  a  judge  and  an  executioner.  No  ;  I  must  do 
right  and  avoid  wrong,  because  I  love  him  and  it  is  his 
will  that  I  should  so  order  my  conduct.  Hence  the 
Christian  considers  God  to  be  the  only  object  of  all 
duty,  our  so-called  duties  to  ourselves  or  our  fellow- 
creatures  being  covered  by  our  duty  to  him,  because  he 
has  enjoined  them  upon  us. 

The  ground  of  our  duty  to  God  is  the  fact  that  he  is 
our  Creator  and  the  Creator  of  all  things.  All  our 
faculties  of  soul  and  body  were  by  him  brought  into 
existence  out  of  nothing,  and  are  by  him  maintained  in 
existence.  He,  therefore,  owns  us  and  has  a  right  to 
our  entire  service.  As  the  Creator  he  is  the  Governor, 
Legislator,  and  Judge;  every  attribute  of  sovereignty 
is  included  by  his  creatorship.  Our  sense  of  obligation 
should  be  vastly  enhanced  by  his  infinite  Avisdom  and 
goodness  and  holy  excellence,  and,  above  all,  by  the  re- 
demption in  Christ  Jesus  ;  nay,  it  is  by  the  exercise  of 
these  adorable  attributes  that  our  love  to  him  is  drawn 
out ;  but,  nevertheless,  the  original  basis  of  our  moral 
obligation  is  our  being  his  creatures.     Does  any  one 


Lect.  XLII.]      the  nature  OF   GOOD   WORKS.  401 

ask  me  here,  If  God  were  other  than  good  or  holy, 
should  I  be  bound  to  love  him  ?  or,  if  he  commanded 
me  to  do  anything  contrary  to  right,  should  I  feel  my- 
self bound  to  obey  him  ?  I  reply  that  such  questions 
are  profane  absurdities.  I  cannot  conceive  of  God 
without  infinitely  perfect  attributes.  They  are  essen- 
tial to  my  idea  of  God.  Without  them  the  imaginary 
being  you  talk  of  would  not  be  God.  I  cannot  consent, 
even  in  supposition,  to  put  my  God  out  of  existence. 
I  can  have  no  knowledge,  no  thought,  no  being,  except 
from  my  Creator.  To  him  I  belong  ;  therefore  is  his 
law  the  rule  of  my  life.  He  is  infinitely  excellent ;  I 
only  know  of  excellence  but  from  him.  He  is  my 
Father,  my  Saviour,  my  Sanctifier,  my  all  ;  therefore 
do  I  love  him,  and  am  conscious  that  it  is  my  duty  to 
make  his  will  my  own. 

These  considerations,  though  perhaps  more  abstruse, 
and  apparently  more  abstract  than  those  which  are  or- 
dinarily brought  before  you,  are  far  from  unprofitable. 
On  a  correct  understanding  of  the  great  truth  of  our 
obligation  to  God  alone  depend  our  correctness  of  be- 
lief in  many  consequent  doctrines  ;  and  if  we  have 
grace  to  hold  it  fast,  it  will  be  a  clue  to  guide  us  out  of 
many  a  labyrinth  where  we  should  otherwise  wander 
"in  '  wildering  mazes  lost.'  "  If  God  be  wrong,  who 
shall  tell  us  what  is  right  ?  If  God  be  right,  what 
need  of  conjecture  ?  We  believe  in  God,  and  are  not 
at  liberty  to  make  any  question  as  to  what  is  right 
or  what  is  wrong  from  our  own  reason,  but  only  to 
ascertain  what  he  determines,  and  has  declared  by  his 
law  to  be  right  or  wrong.     There  alone  can  we  rest. 

Let  us  now  turn  to  the  exposition  of  the  Catechism 
itself.    The  answer  to  the  91st  Question  defines  "  good 


402  THE  NATURE   OF   GOOD   WORKS.      [Lect.  XLII. 

works "  to  be  "  only  those  wliicli  proceed  from  true 
faith  [and]  aje  performed  according  to  tlie  law  of  God 
and  to  his  glory,  and  not  such  as  are  founded  on  our 
imaginations  or  the  institutions  of  men." 

1.  It  must  be  remembered  that  this  definition  occurs 
in  an  account  of  the  new  or  converted  man  ;  and, 
therefore,  that  the  phrase  "  good  works  "  is  used  not 
in  an  absolute,  but  in  the  evangelical  sense.  To  us  sin- 
ners,  who  are  acceptable  to  God  only  through  the  infi- 
nitely meritorious  mediation  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
"  that  which  is  without  faith  is  sin,"  and  our  best  deeds 
are  offensive  to  God  except  as  they  are  cleansed  by  the 
blood,  covered  by  the  righteousness,  and  presented  by 
the  intercession  of  our  great  Surety.  It  is  also  obvi- 
ous that  the  Christian,  who  makes  (as  the  Catechism 
goes  on  to  say  every  converted  man  does)  the  word  of 
God  his  only  rule  of  right  practice,  must  exercise  faith 
in  the  truth  of  the  Scriptures,  which  faith  respects  the 
justice  of  the  divine  commandments  as  well  as  the 
mercy  of  the  divine  promises,  so  that  in  proportion  to 
the  strength  of  our  faith  in  the  word  of  God  will  be 
our  aim  to  comply  with  the  divine  will.  Faith  in 
Christ  is  necessary,  therefore,  not  to  the  original  or 
absolute  goodness  of  a  moral  act,  but  to  our  recovery 
from  the  rebellion  of  sin,  and  the  acceptableness  of  our 
imperfect  obedience  in  the  sight  of  God.  Besides, 
every  motion,  desire,  and  endeavor  to  do  right,  which 
we  have,  is  the  effect  of  divine  grace,  "  working  in  us 
both  to  will  and  to  do  of  God's  good  pleasure,"  and 
this  grace  is  ever  given,  and  given  only  in  answer  to 
faith.  Plence  our  Christian  life  can  be  maintained 
only  by  the  exercise  of  a  true  faith,  without  which  any 
good  works  on  our  part  are  im[)ossible. 


Lect.  XLII.]      the  nature  OF   GOOD   WORKS.  403 

2.  Those  only  are  good  woi-ks  wliich  "  are  performed 
accordino;  to  the  law  of  God." 

a.  We  are  the  creatures  of  God,  and  therefore 
belong  to  him ;  so  that  his  will,  as  declared  to  us  in 
his  law,  is  absolutely  sovereign  over  us  ;  and  the  only 
question  we  have  a  right  to  make  respecting  our  con- 
duct is  :  "  What  doth  the  Lord  our  God  require  of 
us  ?  " 

h.  We  are  bought  with  a  price  ransomed  from  the 
power  of  Satan  and  from  everlasting  death  by  the 
most  precious  blood  of  Christ ;  and  he  has  bought  us  to 
himself,  as  a  peculiar  (his  own)  people,  zealous  of  good 
works  ;  for  which  reason  we  are,  by  the  power  of  his 
Holy  Spirit,  "  his  workmanship,  created  in  Christ  Jesus 
unto  good  works,  which  God  hath  before  ordained  that 
we  should  walk  in  them."  If,  therefore,  we  accept  the 
redemption  of  Christ  for  our  souls,  we  must,  by  divine 
help,  assume  the  obligations  which  the  purpose  of  the 
redemption  implies,  and  walk  (or  order  our  practice) 
according  to  the  rules  ordained  for  us  in  the  law  of 
God.  This  should  not  be  by  any  constraint  of  servile 
fear,  but  with  the  willingness  which  the  most  lively 
and  paramount  gratitude  inspires.  "  The  love  of  Christ 
constraineth  us  ;  because  we  thus  judge,  that  if  one  died 
for  all,  then  were  all  dead  ;  and  that  he  died  for  all, 
that  they  which  live  should  not  henceforth  live  unto 
themselves,  but  unto  him  which  died  for  them  and  rose 
again."  Our  whole  life,  in  all  its  thoughts,  affections, 
words,  actions,  and  energies,  is  the  thank-offering  which 
we  should  render  unto  Christ  for  his  unspeakable  love 
in  offering  himself  as  a  sacrifice  to  redeem  us  unto 
God. 

c.   Nay,  more  ;  God,  accepting  us  in  Christ  his  Son, 


I 


404  THE  NATURE  OF   GOOD   WORKS.      [Lect.  XLII. 

accepts  us  as  his  children  ;  and,  as  the  proof  and  earnest 
of  his  Fatherly  love,  he  sends  into  our  hearts  the  spirit 
of  his  Son,  which  is  the  spirit  of  adoption  whereby  we 
cry  "  Abba,  Father."  We,  therefore,  should  be  '"'  fol- 
lowers of  God  as  dear  children."  As  an  affectionate 
child  confides  in  his  lather's  wisdom  and  love,  desiring 
nothing  so  much  as  to  obey  his  father's  will,  so  the 
.Christian,  committing  all  that  concerns  him  for  life  and 
death,  time  and  etei*nity,  to  his  heavenly  Father's  dis- 
position, asks  only  what  that  Father  would  have  him  to 
do,  and  does  it  with  liis  whole  heart. 

3.  They  must  also  be  performed  to  the  glory  of  God. 
This  has  been  mad(^  evident  by  our  previous  considera- 
tions. The  original  and  ultimate  end  of  all  things  can 
be  none  other  than  the  manifestation  of  the  glory  of 
their  great  Author  ;  and  as  the  moral  creature  is  the 
greatest  of  God's  creatures,  the  obligation  of  all  intel- 
ligent beings  to  manifest,  by  the  beauty  of  obedient 
lives,  the  M'isdom  and  holiness  of  the  Creator's  moral 
law  is  proportionately  great.  But  the  highest  glory  of 
God  is  placed  by  himself  in  the  redemption  of  sinful 
men  by  the  atonement  of  Christ,  and  their  elevation  by 
the  grace  of  the  Holy  Ghost  from  the  depths  of  guilty 
depravity  to  the  perfect  eternal  holiness  of  heaven. 
Therefore  are  we  doubly  bound  by  our  creation  and 
redem[)tijon,  nay,  trebly,  since  we  add  the  dedication  of 
ourselves  to  glorify  God  by  our  bodies  and  spirits  which 
are  his.  This  can  be  done  only  by  an  entire  conformity 
to  the  will  of  God,  as  made  known  by  his  work.  What 
virtue  of  our  own  invention  we  may  pretend  to,  if  it 
have  any  praise,  would  be  to  our  glory ;  what  duty  we 
perform  in  obedience  to  the  will  of  God,  reflects  glory 
on   him.      The    light  of  the   truth   is   our   liglit   only 


Lect.  XLIl.]      THE  NATURE  OF  GOOD    WORKS.  405 

because  it  shines  upon  us  from  God  ;  therefore  does 
our  Lord  say,  what  is  repeated  in  a  thousand  Scrip- 
tures :  "  Let  your  light  so  shine  before  men,  that  they 
may  see  your  good  works,  and  glorify  your  Father 
which  is  in  heaven."  The  motive  of  the  divine  glory 
is,  therefore,  essential  to  any  good  work  of  the  Chris- 
tian. 

It  may,  however,  be  asked  here,  whether  or  not  this 
motive  of  the  divine  glory  should  exclude  from  our 
hearts  all  motive  of  our  own  good,  so  that  our  obedi- 
ence to  God  shall  be  perfectly  disinterested.  We  an- 
swer that,  so  far  from  this  being  the  case,  such  disinter- 
estedness is  not  only  not  required,  but  from  the  nature 
of  the  case,  impossible.  God  has  from  the  beginning 
implanted   in   the  moral   creature  a  love  of  happiness 

and  religion,  instead  of  eradicating  this  sti'ong  motive- 
to        '  O  to 

principle,  addresses  it  by  the  strongest  arguments,  and 
directs  it  by  the  divine  commandments.  When  God 
says,  "  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbor  as  thyself,"  he, 
by  making  it  the  measure  of  our  love  to  our  neighbor, 
recognizes  our  love  of  ourselves  as  just,  and  shows  that 
without  it  we  cannot  know  how  to  obey  God  in  loving 
our  neighbor.  The  sanctions  of  the  divine  law  —  life  in 
reward  of  obedience,  death  in  penalty  of  disobedience  — 
can  have  no  force  except  as  self-love  has  power  in  our 
hearts.  So  we  find  our  blessed  Lord  opposing  the  mo- 
tives which  worldly  men  have  to  sin,  and  hypocrites  to 
an  external  form  of  piety,  by  saying  that  they  have  their 
reward,  but  that  our  heavenly  Father  himself  will  reward 
openly  all  those  who  serve  him  out  of  a  sincere  heart. 
According  to  which  principle  Moses  acted  when  "  he 
had  respect  unto  the  recompense  of  reward  "  ;  nay, 
our  Lord  himself,  the   "  great  pattern  of  a  Christian 


406  THE   NATURE   OF    GOOD    WOIiKS.      [Lect.  XLU. 

lite,"  when  ""  for  the  joy  that  was  set  before  him  he 
endured  the  cross,  despising  the  shame."  We  do  not  lose 
our  will  when  we  make  the  will  of  God  our  own  ;  nor 
do  we  lose  ovu*  haj^piness  when  we  seek  the  glory  of 
God  which  lies  in  the  best  happiness  of  his  children. 
If  I  am  bound  to  serve  the  welfare  of  my  fellow-man 
because  he  is  God's  creature,  I  am  bound  for  the  sanu 
reason  to  seek  my  own  welfare,  since  I  am  equally 
God's  creature.  Besides,  the  Christian  cannot  isolate 
himself.  He  belongs  to  a  system,  each  part  of  which 
receives,  as  well  as  gives,  influences  for  good  or  evil. 
God  in  Christ,  and,  before  the  necessity  of  z-edemption^ 
God  the  Creator,  is  the  head  of  the  system  from  whom 
all  the  vital  influences  for  good  proceed,  as  to  him  the 
issues  of  praise  return.  We  cannot,  therefore,  obey 
God  without  receiving  our  share  of  the  benefit  which 
our  obedience  works  in  the  system.  We  cannot, 
therefore,  and  ought  not  to  ignore  our  interest  in 
doing  the  will  of  God,  any  more  than  we  should  seek 
to  isolate  ourselves  from  the  constitution  of  thino;s  in 
which  God  has  placed  us.  The  glory  of  our  heavenly 
Father  is  the  blessedness  of  his  children ;  therefore 
should  we  seek  our  own  good  in  the  way  of  his  com- 
mandments, from  the  very  desire  we  have  for  his 
glory. 

If  our  foregoing  demonstrations  have  been  sound, 
the  remaining  part  of  the  answer  before  us  needs 
none. 

1.  The  law  of  God  being  our  only  and  sovereign 
rule,  we  have  no  right  to  mingle  w'ith  it,  or  oppose  it 
by,  any  imagination  or  thought  of  our  own.  It  is  not 
permitted  us  to  do  what  we  suppose  or  what  seems  to 
Ls  right  ;  we  must  do  only  that  which  God  declares  in 


Lkct.  XLII.]      the  nature  OF  GOOD   WORKS.  407 

his  blessed  word  to  be  right.  The  settlement  of  what, 
is  right  or  wrong  is  infinitely  above  our  faculty.  We 
must  take  the  rule  only  from  him  who  alone  knows. 
Therefore  we  ought  most  religiously  to  guard  our- 
selves from  the  temptation  of  acting  from  our  im^: 
pulses,  our  feelings,  or  opinions  ;  for  all  these  come 
out  of  a  sinful  heart,  which  is  deceitful  above  all 
things.  Our  duty  is  to  obey  God,  not  ourselves  ;  and 
this  we  do  only  when  we  rule  our  hearts  and  lives  by 
the  commandments  he  has  given  us  in  his  holy  word. 
2.  If  we  are  not  to  obey  our  own  imaginations, 
neither  are  Ave  to  obey  the  imaginations  of  other  men, 
whether  they  come  to  us  in  traditions  or  decrees  of 
churches,  or  dogmas  of  associations,  or  public  opinion. 
Nothing  is  our  duty  but  what  God  has  commanded  ; 
and  we,  in  effect,  transfer  our  allegiance  from  him 
to  the  authority  of  sinners  like  ourselves,  when  we 
adopt  any  article  into  our  creed,  any  ceremony  into 
our  worship,  or  any  rule  into  our  morality,  which  God 
has  not  ex})ressly  given.  There  is  a  strong  tendency 
even  in  conscientious  people  to  go  astray  here.  They 
cannot  resist  the  influence  of  those  whom  they  think 
good  or  wise,  nor  refuse  that  which  is  plausibly  expe- 
dient. So  we  find  the  Jews  of  our  Lord's  time  follow- 
ing the  traditions  of  the  elders.  Afterwards  the  Papal 
church  tyrannized  iti  the  same  manner  over  the  con- 
sciences of  the  people  ;  and  among  Protestants  of  our 
own  day,  methods  of  worship  and  reform,  Avholly  from 
the  inventions  of  men,  are  made  paramount  to  the 
plainest  dictates  of  Holy  Scripture.  Dearly  beloved 
brethren,  be  not  so  deceived.  You  can  render  the 
God  of  the  Bible  no  divided  allegiance.  If  the  opin- 
ion   of  men  be  your  god,  serve  it ;  but  if  God  who 


408  THE  NATURE  OF   GOOD   WORKS.      [Lect.  XLII. 

gave  us  the  Bible  be  your  God,  serve  him  alone.  The 
Scripture  was  given  that  the  man  of  God  might  be 
thorouo-hlv  furnished  unto  all  good  works  ;  and  noth- 
ins  is  a  good  work  which  is  not  founded  on  "  thus 
saith  the  Lord." 


LECTURE  XLIII. 


THE  ORDER,  THE  OBLIGATION,  AND  DIVISION  OF  THE 
DUTIES  ENJOINED  BY 

THE  TEN  COMMNDIENTS. 


.    THIRTY-FOURTH   LORD'S   DAY. 
THE   TEN   COMMANDMENTS. 

Quest.  XCIL     What  is  the  law  of  God  ? 

Ans.  God  spake  all  these  words:  I  am  the  Lord  thy  God,  which  have 
brought  thee  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt,  out  of  the  house  of  bondage. 
Thou  shalt  have  no  other  gods  before  me.  Thou  shalt  not  make  unto 
thee  any  graven  image,  or  any  likeness  of  anything  that  is  in  heaven 
above,  or  that  is  in  the  earth  beneath,  or  that  is  in  the  water  under  the 
earth:  Tliou  shalt  not  bow  down  thyself  to  them,  nor  serve  them:  for 
I  the  Lord  tlij'  God  am  a  jealous  God,  visiting  the  iniquity  of  the 
fathers  upon  the  children  unto  the  third  and  fourth  generation  of  them 
that  hate  me;  And  showing  mercy  unto  thousands  of  them  that  love 
me,  and  keep  my  commandments.  Thou  shalt  not  take  the  name  of 
the  Lord  tiiy  God  in  vain:  for  the  Lord  will  not  hold  him  guiltless 
that  taketh  iiis  name  in  vain.  Remember  the  Sabbath-day,  to  keep  it 
holy.  Six  days  shalt  thou  labor,  and  do  all  thy  work;  But  the  seventh 
day  is  the  Sabbath  of  the  Lord  thy  God:  in  it  thou  slialt  not  do  any 
work,  thou,  nor  thj'  son,  nor  thj-  daugliter,  thy  man-servant,  nor  thy 
maid-servant,  nor  thy  cattle,  nor  thy  stranger  that  is  witliin  thy  gates: 
For  in  six  days  the  Lord  made  heaven  and  earth,  the  sea  and  all  that 
in  them  is,  and  rested  the  seventh  day;  wherefore  the  Lord  blessed  the 
Sabbath-day,  and  hallowed  it.  Honor  thy  father  and  thy  mother; 
that  thy  days  may  be  long  upon  the  land  which  the  Lord  thy  God 
giveth  thee.  Thou  shalt  not  kill.  Thou  shalt  not  commit  adultery. 
Thou  shalt  not  steal.  Thou  shalt  not  bear  false  witness  against  thy 
neighbor.  Thou  shalt  not  covet  thy  neighbor's  house,  thou  shalt  not 
covet  thy  neighbor's  wife,  nor  iiis  man-servant,  nor  his  maid-servant, 
nor  his  ox,  nor  his  ass,  nor  anything  that  is  thy  neighbor's.  —  E.xoDUS 
XX.  1-17.     (Compare  Deuteronomy  v.  6-21,  &c. ) 

Quest.  XCIIL     How  are  these  Ten  Commandments  divided  ? 

A.NS.  Into  two  tables:  The  first  of  which  teadies  us  how  we  must  behave 
toward  God;  tiie  second,  what  duties  we  owe  to  our  neighbor. 

TT  having  been  settled  by  the  previous  teachings  of 

the  Catechism,  according  to  the  Scriptures,  that  the 

behever  called  to  salvation   in   Jesus  Christ  is  by  the 

same  gospel  called  to  do  good  works,  (86th,  87th,  88th, 


412  THE  TEN   COMMANDMENTS.  [Lect.  XLIII. 

89th  Questions  and  Answers,)  and  also  that  "  good 
works  are  only  those  which  jn'ocecd  from  true  faith 
[and]  are  performed  according  to  the  law  of  God  and 
to  his  glory  ;  not  such  as  are  founded  on  our  imagi- 
nations, or  the  institutions  of  men  "  ;  it  becomes  us 
to  inquire  what  is  the  law  of  God,  according  to  Avhich  all 
the  conduct  of  men  should  be  regulated  ;  and  we  are 
taught  to  answer  this  question  b}^  a  recital  of  the  Deca- 
logue, or  ten  commandments,  as  they  are  recorded  in 
the  twentieth  chapter  of  Exodus,  1—17,  collated  with 
Deuteronomy  v.  6—21  ;  and  the  next  eleven  Lord's 
days  are  occupied  with  an  exposition  of  the  command- 
ments in  their  order.  They  are  divided  into  two  tables, 
because  Jehovah  wrote  them  twice,  once  on  two  stone 
tablets  prepared  by  himself  (Dent.  v.  22),  which  Moses 
let  fall  from  his  hands,  and  brake  in  his  indignation  at 
the  people's  idolatry  of  the  golden  calf  (Ex.  xxxii.  19)  ; 
and  a  second  time  on  two  tables  like  the  first,  prepared, 
according  to  his  order,  by  Moses  (Ex.  xxxiv.  1  ;  Deut. 
X.  1).  Which  commandments  were  written  on  the  first 
table,  and  which  on  the  second,  we  are  not  expressly 
told,  though  it  is  certain  that  there  were  ten  in  all 
(Deut.  iv.  13  ;  x.  4).  All  are  agreed  that  the  first 
table  included  those  duties  which  we  owe  iunnediately 
to  God  ;  the  second,  those  he  has  commanded  us  to 
render  him  through  duties  to  our  fellow-men  ;  which  is 
in  agreement  with  our  Lord's  condensation  of  the  whole 
law  into  two  great  commandments  :  the  first,  "  Thou 
shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,  and 
with  all  thy  mind,  and  with  all  thy  soul,  and  with  all 
thy  strength  ; "  the  second,  "  Thou  shalt  love  thy 
neighbor  as  thyself"  (Matt.  xxii.  37-40)  ;  the  first  of 
which  we  find  in  Deuteronomy  vi.  5,  and  elsewhere; 


l.ECT.  XLIII.]  THE   TEN   COMAIANDMENTS.  41S 

the  second,  in  Lev.  xix.  18,  34.  But  here  tlie  Re- 
formed with  all  the  evano;elical  churches  are  at  dif- 
ference with  the  Jews,  the  Roman  Catholics,  and  a 
large  majority  of  tlie  Lutherans.  Our  churches  reckon 
four  commandments  to  the  first  table,  and  six  to  the 
second.  What  division  was  established  among  the  an- 
cient Jews  is  not  very  clear.  Jose])hus  says  (Ant.  c. 
V.  8)  that  God  showed  them  two  tables  with  the  ten 
commandments  written  upon  them,  five  on  each  table, 
which  according  to  the  order  of  his  enumeration  would, 
against  propriety,  throw  the  fifth  commandment  into 
the  first  table  instead  of  the  second,  which  includes  our 
offices  to  men  (Ant.  c.  v.  5).  Philo,  however,  appears 
to  have  considered  the  preface,  "  I  am  the  Lord  thy 
God,"  &c.,  to  have  been  the  first  commandment;  but  as 
he  omits,  in  his  recital,  the  words  of  what  we  consider 
the  first,  passing  over  them  to  those,  "  Thou  shalt  not 
make  any  graven  gods,"  &c.,  it  would  seem  most  prob- 
able that  he  conjoined  the  sense  of  the  preface  with  the 
first  commandment  (in  our  order).  Athanasius  follows 
him  in  this.* 

The  Roman  Catholics  combine  the  first  and  sec- 
ond commandments,  giving  them  in  their  catechisms 
abridged,  so  as  to  avoid  the  strength  of  the  prohibition 
against  employing  images  in  their  devotions.  Thus, 
reducing  the  number  of  commandments  in  the  first 
table  to  three,  they  are  obliged,  that  they  may  keep  the 
number  ten,  to  divide  the  tenth  into  two,  which  is  done 
by  making  the  first  clause  of  the  tenth  (as  given  Deut. 
V.  21,  "Thou  shalt  not  desire  thy  neighbor's  wife,")  the 
ninth,  and  the  rest  of  it,  the  tenth ;  to  M'hich  the  Re- 
formed churches  object,  as  that  would  be  merely  a  repe- 

*  See  Jer.  Taylor;  Due.  Dub.  B.  11.  Ch.  2,  Rule  G. 


414  THE   TEN   COMMANDMENTS.  [Lect.  XLIII. 

tition  of  the  seventh,  whereas  the  closing  precept  is  in- 
tended to  forbid  all  envious  craving  of  whatever  is  our 
neighbor's.  Many  of  the  Lutherans,  being  partial  to 
pictures  in  churches  for  the  illustration  of  divine  truths 
to  the  laity,  have  followed  the  course  of  the  Papists 
with  regard  to  the  disposition  of  the  ten  precepts  ;  but 
it  is  fair  to  add  that  their  best  divines  lay  little  stress 
on  the  matter,  as  Walchius,  very  famous  among  them, 
says :  "  Concerning  the  division  of  the  Decalogue,  there 
is  much  dispute.  The  doctors  of  the  Reformed  church 
give  four  precepts  to  the  first  table  and  six  to  the  sec- 
ond, in  doing  which  they  separate  from  the  first  com- 
mandment what  relates  to  the  making  of  images,  and 
rank  it  as  the  second  commandment ;  but  join  the 
ninth  and  tenth  as  one.  They  contend  fiercely  for  this 
division,  and  many  of  them  [^Anjialtini,  3Iarpurgenses 
atque  alii^  accuse  Luther  of  omitting  the  precept  on 
image-making.  We,  however,  give  three  precepts  to 
the  first  table,  and  seven  to  the  second,  referring  what 
God  says  against  image-making  to  the  first  precept,  and 
separating  the  ninth  from  the  tenth.  This  discussion 
is  of  little  account.  The  thing  is  that  it  may  be  ar- 
ranged so  as  to  give  each  the  liberty  of  opinion  on  the 
division,  for  it  is  enough  that  the  commandments  be 
reckoned  as  ten."  (Litro.  in  Lib.  Ecc.  Luth.  Symbol, 
L.  1,  vi.  sec.  xl.  p.  657.)  In  this  liberal  sentiment  the 
eminent  Turretin  agrees.* 

A  more  important  question  arises  :  — 

What  proof  have  tve  that  these  ten  commandments  are 
binding  upon  us  ? 

The  delivery  of  this  law  of  the  two  tables  on  Sinai 
by  Jehovah  to  the  hands  of  Moses  for  the  people  of 

*  See  Kenriok  (Hisliop),  Theol.  Mor.  de  Decalogue,  c.  iv. 


Lect.  XLIII.]  the  ten   COMMANDMENTS.  '  415 

Israel  was  not  its  first  promulgation.  It  had  been  the 
rule  of  God  for  man  from  the  creation,  tliougli  unwrit- 
ten till  the  finger  of  God  engraved  it  amidst  the  terri- 
ble glories  of  his  presence.  From  the  beginning  he 
liad  claimed  an  entire  sovereignty.  The  apostle  tells 
us,  in  the  first  chapter  of  Romans,  that  men  knew  God 
from  the  creation  of  the  world,  and  that  idolatry  in  all 
its  forms  originated  in  their  departure  from  the  worship 
of  the  true,  incorruptible  God.  Reverence  for  the 
name  of  God  is  a  duty  clearly  consequent  upon  our 
allegiance  and  worship.  The  Sabbath  was  ordained  in 
Eden  on  the  day  after  the  creation  of  man,  while  he 
yet  was  sinless.  Honor  to  parents,  respect  of  human 
life,  purity  as  opposed  to  licentiousness,  the  right  of 
property,  veracity  or  truthfulness,  are  all  virtues  essen- 
tial to  a  social  constitution  in  which  men  were  placed 
by  their  divine  author,  and  Avere  required  by  him  al- 
ways, as  many  fiicts  in  the  early  sacred  history  show. 
The  final  precept,  "Thou  shalt  not  covet,'"  enforces  the 
keeping  of  the  heart  before  him  who  reads  our  thoughts, 
and  is  a  resumption  of  the  previous  five,  while  the  ne- 
cessity of  such  inward  restraint  to  a  secure  morality 
was  fully  shown  by  the  manner  of  the  original  sin,  for 
had  not  the  man  and  woman  first  lusted  after  the  for- 
bidden fruit,  they  had  not  seized  it. 

We  learn  also  from  Holy  Scripture,  that  the  solemn, 
written  enunciation  of  this  law  was  an  act  of  God's 
merciful  care  over  his  people.  He  had,  as  the  apostle 
tells  us  (Gal.  ii.  8,  17),  preached  the  gospel  to  Abra- 
ham four  hundred  and  thirty  years  before,  when  he 
made  a  covenant  with  the  father  of  all  the  faithful,  say- 
ing, "  In  thee  shall  all  nations  be  blessed."  His  nat- 
ural posterity,  though  increased  to  a  very  considerable 


416  THE  TEN   COMMANDMENTS.  [Lect.  XLIII. 

people,  had  never  been  raised  to  the  style  of  a  distinct, 
free,  independent  nation,  until  Jehovah,  taking  his  place 
as  their  king,  led  them  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt,  with 
a  promise  of  bringing  them  into  the  land  promised  by 
him  to  their  fathers.  It  was  requisite,  therefore,  that 
there  should  be  a  glorious  inauguration  of  his  authority, 
with  a  publication  of  the  laws,  or  constitution,  accord- 
ing to  which  he  would  reign  ;  and  on  the  other  hand, 
that  the  people  should  declare  their  fealty  to  their  The- 
ocrat  by  pledging  themselves  to  obey  his  laws  or  accept- 
ing the  constitution  which  he  gave  them.  Hence  the 
transaction  at  Sinai  was  in  fact  a  covenant,  God  man- 
ifesting himself  on  the  mount,  Israel  protesting,  with 
united  voice,  "  All  that  the  Lord  hath  said,  will  we 
do,  and  be  obedient ;  "  in  token  of  which  "  Moses  took 
the  blood  "  of  burnt-offerings  and  peace-offerings,  "  and 
sprinkled  it  on  the  people,  and  said,  "  Behold  the  blood 
of  the  covenant  which  the  Loi'd  hath  made  with  you 
concerning  all  these  words  "  (Ex.  xxiv.  3-8).  You 
will  observe  that,  according  to  the  analogy  of  all  Scrip- 
ture, Israel  stood  before  the  Lord  in  a  double  capacity, 
as  a  political  nation,  and  as  a  church,  —  as  the  natural 
offspring  of  Abraham,  and  as  the  type  (the  truly  faith- 
ful among  them  included  by  the  reality)  of  the  spiritual 
descendants  of  the  father  of  all  the  faithful,  the  seed 
of  the  promised  seed,*  the  church  of  Christ  which  he 
hath  redeemed  out  of  all  ages  and  all  kindreds  of  the 
world.  The  inference  plainly  is,  that  the  laAv  is  bind- 
ing on  us,  who  profess  allegiance  to  God  through  the 
covenant  in  the  blood  of  Ciirist ;  not  the  political  law, 
which  concerned  Israel  as  a  nation,  or  the  ceremonial, 
which   was  done  away  by  Christ,  the  substance  of  its 

*  Compare  Gal.  iii.  16,  and  Isaiah  liii.  10,  11. 


Lect.  XLIII]  the  ten  COMMANDMENTS.  417 

shadows  and  the  reality  of  its  types,  but  tlie  moral 
law,  the  law  of  the  ten  precepts  on  the  two  tables, 
which,  as  they  had  been  binding  on  men  from  the  be- 
ginning of  the  world  until  Sinai,  are  binding,  since 
then,  until  the  end  of  the  world. 

This  is  the  more  obvious  from  the  indisputable  con- 
sideration, that,  as  the  effect  of  faith,  according  to  the 
evangelicalscheme,  is  to  produce  repentance  in  the  con- 
verted sinner  by  working  love  in  his  heart,  and  so  ena- 
bling him  to  overcome  the  temptations  of  the  world,  it 
must  follow  that  the  genuine  effects  of  saving  fiiith  are 
in  all  ages  the  same  ;  and,  therefore,  the  fundamental 
rules  or  principles  of  a  godly  life  are  in  all  ages  the 
same.  Precepts  which  only  affect  men  in  the  regula- 
tion of  their  conduct  under  a  temporary  and  changea- 
ble system,  such  as  the  national  polity,  or  t3q:)ical  pre- 
paratory ritual  of  the  Jews,  may,  for  that  reason,  be 
changed  or  abrogated  ;  but  those  which  are  essential  to 
our  relations  as  human  creatures  with  God,  and  with 
our  fellow-creatures  under  the  social  system  God  has 
ordained  for  us  on  earth,  must  be  perpetual.  Such  are 
the  ten  commandments. 

Thus  we  find  this,  the  moral  law,  confirmed  by  our 
Lord  and  the  writers  of  the  New  Testament,  as  the  rule 
of  life  for  all  believers.  Every  precept  of  the  two 
tables  is  reinforced,  often  in  the  very  same  language 
and  with  a  distinct  recognition  of  the  source  from 
which  they  are  taken,  as  the  ground  of  the  authority. 

Exception  has,  it  is  true,  been  by  some  taken  with 
respect  to  the  fourth  commandment,  ordaining  the  rest 
of  the  Sabbath  in  order  to  its  sanctification.  That 
commandment,  they  say,  is  ceremonial,  therefore  be- 
longing to  the  law  of  ordinances  which  has  been  abol- 

voL.  II.  27 


418  THE  TEN  COMMANDMENTS.  [Lect.  XLIII. 

ished  ;  and  typical^  relating  to  the  "  spiritual  rest,"  or 
freedom  from  the  necessity  of  our  own  works,  as  ground 
of  justification,  tliat  God  may  perform  his  works  in  us 
for  his  own  glory.  We  shall  examine  this  matter  far- 
ther when  we  come  to  the  particular  study  of  the  fourth 
commandment ;  but  at  present  it  is  enough  to  say  that 
on  the  same  princi2:)les  which  require  us  to  take  the  law 
of  the  two  tables,  we  must  take  it  as  a  whole.  God 
himself  divided  the  moral,  the  political,  and  the  ceremo- 
nial laws  from  each  other,  so  that  we  have  no  right  to 
wrench  any  part  out  of  one  to  put  it  in  one  of  the 
others.*  Besides,  tlie  law  of  the  Sabbath  was  given  to 
our  first  parents  while  yet  sinless  in  Eden,  and  there- 
fore to  the  whole  race,  irrespective  of  national  or  cer- 
emonial or  accidental  distinctions  of  any  kind  ;  nor  had 
it,  whatever  typical  character  it  acquired  afterwards, 
any  such  character  at  the  time  of  its  original  promul- 
gation. The  Saviour  himself,  when  he  asserted  that 
"  the  Sabbath  was  made  for  man  and  not  man  for  the 
Sabbath,"  not  only  points  out  the  spirit  of  the  precept 
in  which  it  is  to  be  obeyed,  but  establishes  the  univer- 
sality and  perpetuity  of  the  precept. 

There  is  another  remark  preliminai'y  to  our  exposi- 
tion of  the  commandments,  which,  in  consistency  with 
our  past  and  future  reasoning,  should  here  be  made. 

The  answer  to  the  93d  Question  states  that  "  the 
first  "  table  "  teaches  us  how  we  are  to  behave  towards 
God  ;  the  second,  what  duties  we  owe  to  our  neigh- 
bor." This  language,  though  conformable  enough  to 
the  common  uses  of  the  terms,  is  not  strictly,  that  is  to 
say,  ethically,  accurate.  Properly,  we  owe  duty  only 
to  God.     He  only  is   our  Lord.      What  are  popularly 

*  Calvin's  Cat.  on  the  Fourth  Commandment. 


Lect.  XLIII.]  THK   ten   COMMANDilENTS.  419 

termed  duties  to  our  neighbor  are  not,  therefore,  in  a 
strict  sense,  duties  to  him,  but  duties  to  God,  who  has 
commanded  us  so  to  deport  ourselves  toward  our  neigh- 
bor as  his  precepts  prescribe.  That  this  is  the  mean- 
ing of  the  Catechism  here,  we  know  from  what  Ursi- 
nus  (its  chief  author)  says  in  his  commentary  on  the 
place  :  "  The  Decalogue  is  divided,  according  to  the 
things  themselves  which  are  commanded  or  forbidden, 
into  the  itnmediate  and  mediate  worship  of  God.  Gen- 
erally, is  commanded  in  the  Decalogue  the  worship  of 
God  ;  that  which  is  contrary  to  God's  woi'ship  is  for- 
bidden. The  worship  of  God  is  either  immediate,  when 
moral  works  are  performed  immediately  unto  God,  or 
mediate,   when   moral  works  are   performed  unto   our 

neighbor  in  respect  of  God The  obedience  of 

the  second  table  of  the  law  is  not  the  immediate  wor- 
ship of  God,  as  the  obedience  of  the  first  is  ;  yet  is  it 
the  mediate  worship  of  God,  that  is,  such  as  is  per- 
formed to  God  in  our  neighbor  mediating,  or  coming 
between  God  and  us.  For  the  duties  [offices]  of  love 
toward  our  neighbor  ought  to  flow,  or  proceed,  out  of 
the  love  of  God  [qu.  love  to  God]  ;  and  being  so  per- 
formed, they  are  acceptable  to  God,  and  are  no  less 
done  to  God  himself  than   the  obedience  of  the  first 

table The  worship  required  in  the  two  tables 

differeth  in  [character  of]  its  objects  :  for  the  first  table 
has  an  immediate  object  only,  which  is  God  ;  the  sec- 
ond has  both  an  immediate  object,  our  neighbor,  and 
farther  also  a  mediate  object,  God."  Hence  Ursinus, 
in  his  sermon  on  the  Decalogue,  comprises  it  generally 
in  God's  worship,  divided  into  two  parts  :  1.  Immedi- 
ate, towards  God  alone  ;  2.  Mediate,  or  towards  our 
neicvhbor  for  God's  sake. 


420  THE   TEN   COMMANDMENTS.         [Lect.  XLIIL 

The  value  and  even  necessity  of  this  careful  applica- 
tion of  terms  over  the  looser  language  of  the  text  will 
be  seen  when  we  consitler  the  proneness  of  men  to  sep- 
arate the  two  tables  in  such  a  way  as  though  they  might 
observe  the  first  table  without  observing  the  second,  or 
the  second  without  observing  the  first.  The  former  is 
the  fatal  error  of  those  pharisaical  devotees  who  are 
zealous  in  prayers  or  other  forms  of  Avorship,  in  ortho- 
doxy of  opinion  or  ceremonial,  while  they  neglect  char- 
ity of  heart  and  speech  and  act  towards  their  fellow- 
creatures.  The  unity  of  the  law  of  God  utterly  con- 
demns such  inconsistency,  and  shuts  the  gate  of  heaven 
in  the  faces  of  all  who  practise  it.  There  is  no  love 
to  God  which  is  not  followed  by,  or  rather  does  not 
include,  love  to  our  neighbor  ;  which  is  farther  shown 
by  the  fact  that  we  cannot,  as  in  the  address  Christ  has 
taught  us,  claim  God  as  our  Father  in  heaven,  without 
acknowledgino;  as  our  brethren  all  his  children  on 
earth.  The  other  is  the  equally  fatal  error  of  those  who, 
proud  of  their  personal  and  social  morality,  think  that 
they  can  keep  the  second  table  of  the  law  without 
observing  the  first,  or  love  their  neighbor  without  first 
loving  God  with  all  their  hearts,  and  rendering  him  the 
personal  and  public  homage  which  he  requires.  The 
very  source  of  the  law  condemns  this,  because  b^ing 
the  law  of  God,  no  part  of  it  can  be  kept  without 
hearty  and  supreme  reverence  to  the  will  of  him  who 
enjoins  the  whole.  The  very  order  of  the  law  con- 
demns it,  because  we  cannot  reach  the  second  table 
without  goino;  through  the  first.  The  very  terms  of 
the  law  condemn  it,  because,  if  we  are  to  love  God 
with  all  our  heart,  how  can  we  love  our  neighbor 
except  love   to  him  be  included  by  our  love  to  God"^ 


Lect.  XLIII.]  THE   TEN   COMMANDMENTS.  421 

Again  :  If  we  do  not  make  this  distinction,  that  is,  of 
duties  immediate  and  duties  mediate  to  God,  all  moral- 
ity is  thrown  into  uncertainty  and  confusion.  If  God 
be  the  central  source  and  central  object  of  all  duty,  no 
laws  emanating  from  him,  no  services  rendered  to  him, 
can  ever  clash,  as  no  number  of  straight  lines,  drawn 
from  a  given  point,  can  ever  cross  each  other,  or,  con- 
verging to  one  point,  can  ever  meet  except  in  that  point. 
While,  therefore,  we  consider  our  duty  referrible  to  God 
only,  there  can  be  no  confusion.  All  we  have  to  ascer- 
tain, is,  what  God  requires  of  us,  and  all  our  relative 
services  toward  our  fellow-men  fill  into  their  appi'opri- 
ate  places  within  the  harmonious  whole.  But  when 
we  attempt  to  apportion  or  distribute  our  services 
among  our  fellow-men,  as  though  our  duty  were  to 
each  of  them,  we  find  the  number  of  relations  so  great, 
yet  so  intermingled,  that  we  cannot  see  how,  amidst 
the  variety  and  seeming  conflict  of  interests,  to  combine 
them  in  harmonious  proportions.  How  shall  a  man 
proportion  the  duty  he  owes  to  his  father  with  the  duty 
he  owes  to  his  mother,  when  their  commands  or  seem- 
ing interests  ai'e  adverse  ?  —  the  duties  he  owes  to  con- 
flicting brothers  ?  —  the  duties  to  his  family  with  those 
he  owes  to  his  country,  or  those  to  his  country  with 
those  due  to  the  world  ?  No  human  intellect  has  grasp 
or  continuity  enough  to  reason  through  all  the  possi- 
bilities of  results,  to  determine  one  of  a  thousand  among 
the  difficulties  which  may,  and  every  day  do,  arise.  In- 
variable, supreme  love  to  God  is  the  only  clue  we  can 
have  to  guide  us  through  what  is  plain  to  him,  but  an 
inextricable  labyrinth  to  us. 

Take,  for  example,  the  question  which  Arch-Deacon 
Paley  moots  in  his  Moral  Philosophy  (a  system  which 


422  THE  TEN   COMMANDMENTS.  [Lect.  XLIII. 

should  never  be  tolerated  for  a  moment  under  any  pre- 
text in  a  Christian  school)  :  Is  it  ever  right  to  tell  a  lie  f 
If  Ave  proceed  on  the  principle  that  all  our  duty- is  to 
God,  the  thing  is  settled  at  once,  for  God  requires  truth 
in  the  heart,  speech,  and  act ;  nor  can  we  imagine  it 
possible  that  in  any  circumstances  a  lie  can  be  accept- 
able to  him  ;  but  if,  adopting  the  division  which  Paley 
follows,  of  duty  to  God  and  duty  to  man,  the  latter 
separates  itself  from  the  first,  and  we  attempt  to  decide 
it  on  the  comparative  benefit  or  injuiy  of  the  results  to 
ourselves  or  others.  Thus  the  Arch-Deacon  asserts  that 
a  lie  is  justifiable  in  certain  cases,  as,  "  compliments  in 
the  subscription  of  a  letter;  a  servant's  denying  his 
master  [to  be  at  home]  ;  a  prisoner's  pleading  not 
guilty  ;  an  advocate  asserting  the  justice,  or  his  belief 
in  the  justice,  of  his  client's  cause.  In  such  instances, 
no  confidence  is  destroyed,  because  none  was  reposed  ; 
no  promise  to  speak  the  truth  is  violated,  because  none 
was  given  or  understood  to  be  given.''  Or  "  where 
the  person  you  speak  to  has  no  right  to  know  the  truth, 
or,  more  properly,  where  little  or  no  inconvenience 
results  from  the  want  of  confidence  in  such  cases  :  as 
where  you  tell  a  falsehood  to  a  madman  for  his  own 
advantage  ;  to  a  robber,  to  conceal  your  property  ;  to 
an  assassin,  to  defeat  or  divert  him  from  his  purpose. 
The  particular  consequence  is,  by  the  supposition,  ben- 
eficial ;  and  as  to  the  general  consequence,  the  worst 
that  can  happen  is,  that  the  madman,  the  robber,  the 
assassin  will  not  trust  you  again  ;  which  (beside  that 
the  first  is  incapable  of  deducing  regular  conclusions 
from  having  been  once  deceived,  and  the  last  two  not 
likely  to  come  in  your  way  a  second  time)  is  sufli- 
ciently  compensated   by  the   immediate   benefit  which 


Lect.  XLllI.]         THE  TEN   COMMANDMENTS.  423 

you  proposed  by  the  falsehood."  What  miserable  pal- 
tering is  this  !  If  a  lie  is  to  be  justified  by  mere  expe- 
diency, or  by  any  man's  judgment  of  expediency,  how 
shall  we  know  when  we  meet  falsehood  or  when  we 
meet  truth  ?  How  can  it  be,  that,  under  the  universal, 
perpetual,  and  particular  providence  of  God,  who  is 
infinitely  true,  a  falsehood  can  ever  issue  except  in  dis- 
order and  mischief?  Even  if  the  immediate  issue  be 
slight  or  even  apj)arently  beneficial,  is  not  the  general 
importance  of  truth  incomparably  above  such  petty, 
doubtful  considerations  ?  Yet  we  cannot  see,  how,  un- 
der such  a  system,  any  better  reasoning  could  be  pur- 
sued. There  are  cases,  undoubtedly,  in  which  we  are 
not  under  obligation  to  speak  at  all,  or  even  when 
silence  is  duty  ;  but  if  we  speak,  and'  speak  not  truth, 
we  serve  the  devil,  who  is  the  father  of  lies,  and  we 
shall,  if  we  repent  not  in  Christ,  have  our  portion  with 
him  under  the  wrath  of  a  just  God,  who  has  made 
truth  a  duty  to  himself,  and  a  lie  a  sin  against  himself. 
The  question  cited  is  but  one  of  innumerable  that  will 
arise  under  a  system  of  ethics  other  than  that  which 
makes  God  the  only  object  of  duty. 

For  this  reason  we  shall  adopt,  in  all  our  subsequent 
study  of  the  moral  law,  the  division  of  duty  into  duties 
to  God  immediate  and  mediate,  —  those  we  should  ren- 
der to  God  directly,  and  those  we  should  render  to  him 
through  his  creatures  in  sei'ving  them  for  his  sake,  ac- 
cording; to  his  command.* 

*  This  is  the  division  adopted  and  pursued  by  Ursinus.  See  his  Com- 
mentary on  the  Catechism  here. 


LECTURE    XLIV. 

THE  FIRST  COIMANDMENT. 

SECOND    PART. 


THIRTY-FOURTH   LORD'S   DAY. 
THE   FIRST   COMMANDMENT. 

Quest.   XCIV.      What  doth  God  enjoin  in  the  first  command"? 

Aus.  That  I,  as  sincerely  as  I  desire  the  salvation  of  my  own  soul,  avoid 
and  flee  from  all  idolatry,  sorcery,  soothsaying,  superstition,  invocation 
of  saints  or  any  other  creatures;  and  learn  rightlj'  to  know  the  only 
true  God;  trust  in  him  alone;  with  humility  and  patience  submit  to 
him;  expect  all  good  things  from  him  only;  love,  fear,  and  glorify  him 
with  my  whole  heart;  so  that  I  renounce  and  forsake  all  creatures 
rather  than  commit  even  the  least  thing  contrary  to  his  will. 

Quest.  XCV.     What  is  idolatry  f 

Ans.  Idolatrj'  is,  instead  of,  or  besides  that  one  true  God,  who  has  mani- 
fested himself  in  his  word,  to  contrive  or  have  any  other  object  in 
which  men  place  their  trust. 

170LL0WING  the  division  of  duties  enjoined  by  the 
•*-  ten  commandments,  as  set  forth  in  our  last  lecture, 
viz :  those  we  owe  to  God  immediately,  that  is,  di- 
rectly to  himself,  and  those  we  owe  to  him  mediately, 
that  is,  through  his  creatures,  we  now  proceed  to  the 
study  of  the  first  table  of  the  law,  comprising  the  first 
four  commandments,  each  of  which  has  immediate  ref 
erence  to  God  himself. 

The  first  of  these  is  fundamental  and  comprehensive, 
including,  with  a  force  peculiar  to  itself,  the  spirit  of 
the  other  three,  each  of  which  has  a  specific,  particu- 
lar direction.  Thus,  the  first  forbids  our  giving  to  any 
creature  the  place,  homage,  trust,  love,  or  obedience 
which  belongs  to  the  one  only  God.  The  second  for- 
bids our  having  low,  material,  or  sensuous  notions  of 


428  THE   FIRST   COMMANDMENT.  [Lect.  XLIV. 

God,  and  all  practices  that  tend  to  impair  our  belief 
and  recognition  of  his  pure,  spiritual  nature.  The 
tliird  forbids  all  profane  or  undevout  use  of  the  names, 
titles,  and  authoritative  sentences  of  God,  and  all  prac- 
tices that  tend  to  impair  the  awful  supreme  respect  in 
which  those  divine  terms,  with  their  significations,  should 
be  held.  The  fourth  enjoins  our  worship  and  pious 
remembrance  of  God  our  only  Creator  and  Lord,  espe- 
cially on  the  Sabbath-day,  which  he  has  consecrated  for 
that  holy  purpose  ;  and  all  practices  that  tend  to  impair 
our  devotion  generally,  but,  particularly,  our  proper 
observance  of  the  day  he  has  set  apart  for   himself. 

These  commandments  are  given  in  a  negative  form, 
but  they  enjoin  positively  :  1.  Supreme  acknowledg- 
ment of  God.  2.  Practical  belief  in  his  essential  spir- 
ituality, that  is,  spirituality  of  essence  or  mode  of  being. 
3.  Reverence,  internal  and  external,  for  the  authority 
of  God,  and  all  that  relates  to  the  exercise  of  his  au- 
thority. 4.  Worship  of  God,  internal  and  external, 
and  cultivation  of  Avhatever  means  he  has  ordained  for 
our  worship  of  him.  The  order  of  these  precepts  and 
of  the  duties  they  enjoin  is  natural  and  necessary, 
showing  us  that  the  Decalogue  is  not  merely  a  collec- 
tion of  commandments,  but  a  system  of  morals  in  Avhich 
each  has  its  appropriately  relative  place. 

The  First  of  these  is  the  subject  of  our  lesson  for 
to-day.     "  Thou  shalt  have  no  other  gods  before  me^ 

The  idea  of  God  is  fundamental  to  all  religion  and 
morals  ;  for  religion  is  the  honoring  of  God,  and  morals 
the  obeying  of  God.  Proof  of  the  existence  and  char- 
acter of  God  is  not  in  place  here,  that  having  been 
given  in  another  part  of  our  exposition,  and  now  by 
the  Catechism    is    considered    established.      But   it  is 


Lect.  XLIV.]  THE  FIRST   COMMANDMENT.  429 

required   that   we  know   what  is  meant  by  the  term 
Crod. 

First  :  The  use  of  the  word  in  the  phn-al  and  the 
phrase  "  other  gods  "  show  that  God  is  not  a  personal 
name,  but  a  title,  or  official  appellation,  which  truly 
belongs  to  the  One  Supreme  only,  but  h.as  been  and 
may  be  usurped  by  others,  or  falsely  applied  to  others  ; 
as  the  apostle  says  (1  Cor.  viii.  5,  6)  :  "  For  though 
there  be  that  are  called  gods,  Avhether  in  heaven  or  in 
earth  as  there  be  gods  many  and  lords  many  ;  but  to 
us  there  is  but  one  God,  the  Father,  of  Avhom  are  all 
things,  and  we  in  him,  —  and  one  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  by 
whom  are  all  things,  and  we  by  him."  The  word  ren- 
dered god,  or  gods,  in  the  Old  Testament,  literally  signi- 
fies high  ones,  and  thus  comparatively  is  applied  to 
angels,  and  even  to  princes  or  exalted  personages 
among  men,  as  David  says  :  "  I  will  praise  thee  with 
my  whole  heart ;  before  the  gods  will  I  sing  praise 
unto  thee."  But  it  is  more  frequently  given  to  the 
imaginary  beings,  or  their  visible  representatives,  whom 
men,  departing  from  true  religion,  worshipped  and 
invoked  in  the  place  of  the  Creator,  who  is  God  over 
all,  blessed  forever.  These  false  gods  were  numerous, 
each  nation  and  often  each  family  having  their  tutelary 
divinities  ;  nay,  there  was  not  a  kingdom  or  process  of 
nature,  not  a  wind  or  stream  or  mountain  or  tree,  that 
had  not,  according  to  the  popular  creed,  its  particular 
divinity.  Such  an  ascription  of  divine  power  to  more 
than  one  supposed  being,  or  division  of  it  among  many, 
was  a  gross  insult  to  him  whose  will  is  the  sole  efficient 
energy  pervading  all  things,  as  he  created  all  things, 
and  is,  therefore,  forbidden  by  the  commandment.  The 
Sovereign  Giver  of  the  law  in  his  preface  distinguishes 


430  THE  FIRST   COMMANDMENT.  [Lect.  XLIV. 

himself  from  the  gods  of  the  nations,  saying  to  Israel : 
"  I  am  the  Lord  [Jehovah]  thy  God,  Avhich  have 
brought  thee  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt,  out  of  the 
house  of  bondage.  Thou  shalt  have  no  other  gods 
before  me."  By  Avhich  he  does  not  allow  the  gods  of 
the  nations  to  be  real,  but,  asserting  his  own  as  the  sole 
divinity,  declares  that  he  has  taken  Israel  under  his  al- 
mighty care,  revealing  himself  by  his  name,  Jehovah. 
This  was  the  title  by  which  he  required  his  j)eople  to 
worship  him  ;  yet  it  is  no  more  than  God  a  personal 
name,  but  one  descriptive  of  his  nature.  Attempts 
have  been  made  to  define  its  meaning,  but  without  sat- 
isfactory result  ;  that  which  approaches  nearest  is  par- 
allel to  the  description  of  himself  when  he  revealed  his 
presence  to  Moses,  saying,  "I  am  that  I  am,"  —  an 
expression  declaring  at  once  the  eternity,  the  self-exist- 
ence and  incomprehensibleness  of  his  being.  It  is  well 
here  to  note  that  the  most  ancient  of  the  Thcistic  philos- 
ophers, whom  we  find  far  back  in  the  primitive  sects  of 
mankind  after  the  flood,  as  the  Chaldean,  from  whom  the 
Platonists  and  Gnostics  learned  their  uses  of  language, 
held  it  impious  to  give  a  name  to  the  Highest,  or  to 
attempt  in  any  way  a  description  of  his  essence,  but 
called  him  The  One.  It  is  also  remarkable,  that, 
among  cultivated  nations  at  least,  though  they  wor- 
ship})ed  many  inferior  deities,  whose  favor  they,  invoked 
and  whose  anger  they  deprecated,  there  was,  as  there  is 
now  among  the  idolatrous  peoples  of  the  East,  a  belief 
in  one  original  divinity,  whom  they  did  not  worship 
because  they  thought  him  too  sublimely  absorbed  in 
his  own  perfections  to  care  for  them  or  their  service. 
Nay,  there  is  sound  reasoning  for  believing  that  idola- 
try, at  the  beginning  of  its  dej^lorable  evils,  was  not  an 


Lect.XLIV.]         the  first   COMMANDMENT.  431 

invention  of  false  deities  by  the  mind  seeking  after 
divinity,  but  a  departure  from  the  worship  of  the  true 
God  who  had  revealed  himself  to  the  fathers  of  our 
race.  Nor  was  it  so  much  a  denial  of  the  true  God 
as  the  putting  between  themselves  and  him  inferior 
beings,  or  powers,  who  exercised  over  them  immedi- 
ately an  authority  and  control  derived  from  the  original 
one.  This  is  seen  in  the  fact  that  Aaron,  when  he,  at  the 
impious  demand  of  the  Israelites  for  gods  to  go  before 
them,  copied,  in  what  our  translators  call  a  golden  calf, 
the  Egyptian  emblem  of  the  productive  or  agricultural 
power,  and  then  proclaimed  a  feast  in  honor  of  the 
idol  as  a  feast  to  Jehovah  (Exodus  xxxii.  4,  5),  he 
meant,  and  the  people  understood  him  to  mean,  not 
that  they  denied  the  supremacy  of  Jehovah,  but  that 
they  worshipped  him  as  represented  by  the  idol.  So 
the  apostle'  (Romans  i.  20-23)  says  of  the  heathen  : 
"  When  they  knew  God,  they  glorified  him  not  as  God, 
[that  is,  they  did  not  give  him  the  spiritual  homage  due 
to  an  infinite  spirit,]  neither  were  thankful ;  but  became 
vain  in  their  imaginations;  and  their  foolish  heart  was 
darkened  ;  professing  themselves  to  be  wise,  they  became 
fools,  and  changed  the  glory  of  the  uncorruptible  God 
[that  is,  the  eternal,  immaterial  God]  into  an  image 
made  like  to  corrnptible  man,  and  to  birds,  and  four- 
footed  beasts,  and  creeping  things."  Whatever  was 
afterwards  the  utterly  brutish  reliance  on  such  dumb 
idols  and  gross  fictions  of  their  depraved  fancy,  they  did 
not  intend  at  the  beginning  anything  more  than  to  rep- 
resent by  such  emblems  the  power  of  the  true  God, 
whose  spiritual  perfections  they  were  too  gross  to  ap- 
prehend. Hence  we  see  that  the  real  nature  of  idolatry 
is  nothing  else  than  a  depraved  tendency  of  sensualized 
man  to  mve  to  thino-s  which  are  seen  the  trust  and  regard 


432  THE  FIRST   COMMANDMENT.         [Lect.  XLIV. 

whicli  should  go  through  tliem  and  above  them  to  the 
invisible  (jod,  to  rest  in  the  creature  rather  than  in  the 
Creator,  and  relj  on  the  palpable  means  instead  of  the 
spiritual  directing  cause.  This  is  in  exact  accordance 
with  the  definition  of  idolatry  as  given  by  the  answer 
to  the  95tli  Question. 

"  Idolatry  is,  instead  of,  or  beside,  the  one  true  God, 
who  has  manifested  himself  in  his  word,  to  contrive 
[invent,  imagine]  or  to  have  any  other  object  in  which 
men  place  their  trust."  "Whatever  be  the  object  to 
which  we  give  the  trust  or  any  part  of  the  trust  due  to 
the  Infinite  Supreme,  thus  putting  it  between  us  and 
him,  is  in  the  commandment  called  a  god.  "  Thou 
shalt  have  no  other  gods  before  me." 

We  are  now  prepared  to  learn, 

Secondly  :  What  G-od  doth  eyyjoin  in  the  first  com- 
mand. 

The  answer  in  the  Catechism  is  very  instructive  and 
particular,  showing  that  by  the  word  trusty  in  the  defi- 
nition of  idolatry,  are  included  all  those  dispositions  and 
acts  of  the  soul  comprehended  by  the  wo"  ^nip  and  ser- 
vice of  the  one  true  and  only  God.  It  (the  answer) 
has  two  parts, — the  one  teaching  us  what  the  command 
forbids,  the  other  what  it  requires.  If  we  ascertain 
the  truths  in  the  latter,  we  shall  clearly  understand 
those  in  the  former. 

I.  We,  or,  as  our  church  bids  us  each  answer  for 
himself,  "  I,"  must  "  learn  rightly  to  know  the  only 
true  God  ;  trust  in  him  alone ;  with  humility  and  pa- 
tience submit  to  him  ;  expect  all  good  things  from  him 
only  ;  love,  fear,  and  glorify  him  with  my  whole  heart, 
so  that  I  renounce  and  forsake  all  creatures  rather 
than  commit  [do]  e\en  the  least  thing  contrary  to  his 
will." 


Lect.  XLIV.]  THE  FIRST   COJIMANDMENT.  438 

Here  are  several  divisions  of  the  great  duty  we  owe 
to  God. 

1.  Riorht  knowledo-e  of  God.  The  command  ex- 
pressly  forbids  any  other  gods  but  the  one  Jehovah  or 
Lord.  To  imagine  him,  either  from  ignorance  or  way- 
wardness, to  be  in  any  respect  other  than  he  is,  is  not 
to  acknowledge  the  true  God,  but  to  set  up  in  his  place 
a  creature  of  our  own  fancy  ;  and  as  we  cannot  know 
God  otherwise  than  from  himself,  it  is  our  primaiy  duty 
to  know  what  he  is  from  his  own  revelation  of  himself 
in  the  Scriptures  ;  therefore  our  ideas  of  God  are  true 
only  so  far  as  they  are  conformable  in  character  and 
degree  to  those  given  of  him  in  his  own  word.  There 
are  mysteries  in  the  divine  nature  as  far  above  our 
comprehension  as  the  infinite  is  above  the  finite  ;  but 
the  Spix'It,  which  "  searcheth  even  the  deep  things  of 
God,"  has  declared  all  that  it  is  profitable  for  us  to 
know  this  side  of  heaven,  and  no  more.  There  is  no 
reasoning  beyond  this,  because  we  have  no  facts  from 
which  to  draw  inferences,  no  data  on  which  to  found 
our  conclusions.  We  have  no  more  right  to  go  beyond 
what  is  written  than  we  have  to  withhold  our  belief 
from  what  is  written.  The  God  of  the  Bible  is  the  one 
only  true  God. 

2.  Trust  in  him.  The  Scripture  reveals  him  as 
infinitely  perfect  in  all  his  attributes  ;  and,  therefore, 
his  absolute  government  must  be  infinitely  wise  and 
just,  and,  in  Chi'ist,  full  of  goodness  and  mercy  toward 
all  who  acknowledge  him  to  be  their  God.  Hence,  if 
we  rightly  know  God,  our  confidence  will  be  complete, 
unhesitating,  unfaltering,  and  full  of  peace.  "  The 
Lord  reigneth,  let  the  earth  rejoice."  Such  trust  will 
make  us   humbly  and   patiently  submissive  to   all   his 

VOL.  II.  23 


434  THE  FIRST  COMMANDMENT.        [Lect.  XLIV. 

dispensations,  however  trying  or  unintelligible,  towards 
us  ;  for  are  we  not  Avholly  dependent  on  him,  and  is  it 
not  his  omnipotent,  unchangeable  will  to  provide  for 
his  children's  best  good  in  the  future  as  at  the  present, 
in  time  and  in  eternity  ?  When  there  is  perfect  confi- 
dence in  God,  there  can  be  neither  discontent,  impa- 
tience, or  despondency.  He  is  "  the  same  yesterday,  to- 
day, and  forever";  therefore  the  past,  the  present,  the 
future  in  his  almight}^  hands  are  right.  Therefore  our 
Lord  taught  us  to  pray  to  him  as  our  Father  in  heav- 
en, "  Thy  kiiigdom  come,  thy  will  be  done  on  earth  as 
it  is  in  heaven  ;  "  and  himself,  our  divine  example  of 
human  piety,  when  passing  through  his  unutterable 
grief  for  our  atonement,  took  the  cup  into  his  trem- 
bling hand,  saying,  "  Father,  not  as  I  will,  but  as  thou 
wilt> 

3.  The  love  of  our  whole  hearts.  Love  is  the 
grand  attraction  by  which  God  unites  all  holy,  intel- 
ligent creatures  to  himself,  and  in  him  to  each  other. 
It  is  the  union  which  secures  the  harmony  of  the  godly 
in  Christ.  We  love  that  which  we  admire  and  delight 
to  contemplate  ;  and  God  is  the  original  and  infinite 
perfection  of  all  that  is  worthy  of  ovir  admiration  and 
delight  ;  therefore  should  he  have  our  affectionate,  glad 
adoration  :  we  love  those  from  whom  we  receive  the 
elements  and  means  of  our  happiness  ;  and  God  is  the 
author  and  fiver  of  all  good  :  we  love  those  who  love 
us,  and  have  fellowship  with  us  ;  and  God  loves  us 
with  an  everlasting,  boundless,  tender  love,  as  his  crea- 
tures, his  servants,  and  children  ;  therefore  should  we 
give  him  our  first,  best,  highest  love ;  nay,  our  hearts 
should  be  so  filled  with  love  to  him  that  no  love  to  any 
creature  can   find  room  within  it,  except  as  it  is  com- 


Lect.  XLIV.]  the  first   COMMANDMENT.  435 

prehended  aiul  sanctified  by  supreme  affection,  esteem, 
gratitude,  and  desire  for  the  one  only  true  God. 

4.  Fear.  Not  the  terror  which  the  power  of  an 
enemy  inspires,  nor  the  servile  dread  which  forces  sub- 
mission to  a  hard,  irresistible  master  ;  but  a  reverence 
filling  the  heart  that  is  filled  with  love,  an  awful  hom- 
age to  his  sovereign  majesty,  humble  veneration  of  his 
infinite  attributes,  jealous  caution  lest  we  oifend  against 
his  will,  and  a  constant  sense  of  his  holy  presence 
searching  our  thoughts  and  taking  account  of  all  our 
doings.  The  devils  tremble  while  they  believe  in  the 
vindictive  authority  of  the  one  only  true  God  ;  but  the 
angels  veil  their  faces  and  worship  close  to  the  glory  of 
his  throne  :  so  his  true  children  never  love  him  more 
or  obey  him  more  gladly  than  when,  bowing  lowest  at 
his  feet,  they  adore  him  Lord  over  all,  and  acknowledge 
that  in  him  alone  they  "  live  and  move  and  have  their 
being." 

5.  The  result  of  this  knowledge,  trust,  love,  and  fear 
of  God,  the  only  God,  is  an  entire  consecration  to  Ms 
service;  or,  as  the  Catechism  has  it,  we  "glorify  him 
with  our  whole  heart,  so  that  we  renounce  and  forsake 
all  creatures  rather  than  commit  the  least  thing  con- 
trary to  his  will."  God  is  our  creator,  therefore  he  is 
our  owner  ;  he  is  our  only  king,  therefore  we  are  his 
subjects  alone  ;  he  is  our  only  teacher,  therefore  we 
should  learn  from  him  alone  ;  he  is  our  only  benefl\c- 
tor,  therefore  our  whole  lives  should  be  thank-offerings 
to  his  love  ;  he  is  before  all  things,  and  by  him  all 
things  consist,  therefore  is  he  alone  "  worthy  to  re- 
ceive honor  and  glory  and  blessing."  So  the  true  be- 
liever in  the  one  only  God  makes  it  the  purpose  of  his 
heart,  as  it  is  the  purpose  of  his  creation,  to  glorify  God 


436  THE  FIRST  COMMANDMENT.         [Lect.  XLIV. 

in  all  liis  thoughts  and  words  and  ways,  that  his  Maker 
may  delight  in  him,  and  men,  "  seeing  his  good  wox'ks, 
may  glorify  his  Father  which  is  in  heaven." 

II.  The  sin  forbidden  by  the  command  is  the  oppo- 
site of  all  this.  It  "  enjoins,"  as  the  Catechism  says, 
"  That  I,  as  sincerely  as  I  desire  the  salvation  of  my 
sonl,  avoid  and  flee  from  all  idolatry ;''''  and  idolatry, 
as  defined  in  answer  to  the  next  question,  is  the  hav- 
ing any  other  object  of  trust  than  the  one  true  God. 
Whenever,  therefore,  we  give  to  any  creature  that 
which  belongs  to  God  onlv,  Ave  are  idolaters,  and  the 
object  of  such  impious  trust  is  an  idol.  It  matters  not 
what  it  is  :  an  image  cut  out  of  wood  or  stone,  an  imag- 
ination of  our  own  as  to  what  God  is  or  should  be,  the 
laws  or  processes  of  nature,  wcn'ldly  possessions,  honor 
or  opinions,  relatives  or  friends,  human  skill,  wisdom, 
or  power,  —  whatever  it  be,  if  we  so  set  our  hearts 
upon  it  as  to  bring  it  between  us  and  God,  it  is  an  idol. 
In  these  days  Christianity  has  so  far  enlightened  us 
Protestants  that  none  of  you,  my  hearers,  would  do 
such  an  absurd  thing  as  to  set  up  an  altar,  offer  sacri- 
fices, and  make  prayers  to  any  created  thing.  Yet  wc 
are  scarcely  less  idolaters  if,  for  any  reason,  we  turn 
away  from  God  and  put  our  trust  elsewhere,  instead  of 
depending  on  him  alone,  and  on  him  asjie  has  made 
himself  known  by  his  divine  word.  Idolatry  is  a  great 
sin,  but  atheism  is,  if  possible,  a  greater.  It  is  a  gross, 
profane  absurdity  to  worship  a  false  god ;  but  what 
shall  be  said  of  those  who  worship  no  God  ?  Yet  such 
is  their  atheism,  who  do  not  by  a  hearty  homage,  trust, 
and  affection  glorify  him  in  whom  their  "  breath  is 
and  in  whose  hands  are  all  their  ways."  There  are 
few  irreligious  persons  among  the   heathen  ;    such   as 


Lect.  XLIV.]  THE  FIRST  COMMANDMENT.  437 

their  religion  is,  tliej  practise  it ;  but  among  us  the 
irreligious  are  many  :  they  know  too  much  to  worship 
images  ;  they  are  not  willing  to  worship  the  God  of  the 
Bible  ;  and,  therefore,  they  worship  no  God  at  all. 
God  is  not  in  their  thoughts  ;  they  do  not  seek  him,  or 
trust  in  him,  or  obey  him,  or  give  him  glory.  They 
"  love  the  world  and  the  things  of  the  world,"  but 
"  the  love  of  the  Father  is  not  in  them."  Will  not 
God  be  avenged  of  such  sinners  as  these  ? 

There  has  always  been  a  disposition  in  mankind 
to  pry  into  the  future,  or  things  hidden  from  mere 
human  knowledge  ;  hence  the  practice  in  all  ages  and 
countries  of  what  is  comprehended  under  the  general 
name  of  divination.  The  term  itself  shows  that  it  is 
an  attempt,  from  extraordinary  signs  in  nature  which  is 
under  divine  control,  from  some  spiritual  being  superior 
in  knowledge  to  ourselves,  or  mortal  supposed  to  be  su- 
pernaturally  endowed  or  inspired,  to  learn  that  which 
the  true  God  has  not  revealed.  It  is  most  probable,  that, 
as  idolatry  was  originally  a  departure  from  the  true  God, 
so  divination  began  with  profane  attempts  to  counterfeit 
the  miraculous  signs  and  portents  by  which  God,  in 
early  ages,  made  known  his  presence  and  his  will,  as 
also  the  prophecies  which  he  caused  to  be  uttered  by 
men  immediately  under  his  impulse.  The  origin  of 
magic  in  Chaldea,  near  the  cradle  of  our  postdiluvian 
race,  whence  it  passed  into  India  (where  it  received 
that  name),  Egypt,  and  other  parts  of  the  world,  is  a 
strong  indication  of  this.  The  arts  of  such  divination 
have  been  so  various  and  many,  that  volumes  could  not 
enumerate  them  ;  and  the  Catechism  makes  mention 
of  only  four  or  five. 

1.    Sorcery,    which    is  a   resort   to    the    evil    spirit. 


438  THE  FIRST  COJIMANDMENT.  [Lect.  XLIV 

who,  according  to  a  very  early  belief,  was  a  being  of 
great  malignity  in  power  and  wisdom,  rivalling  the 
spirit  of  good.  A  modern  name  for  it  is  diabolism, 
devilism,  or  the  black  art.  To  ask  counsel  or  aid  of 
the  devil  is  flat  insult  to  the  true  God. 

2.  Soothsaying,  as  it  is  in  the  Dutch  (waer  seg- 
ginge),  or,  as  it  is  in  the  German,*  superstitious  resort 
to  charms  or  incantations  (^ahergl'duhisclie  Sagen),  com- 
prehends all  use  of  enchantments  and  consultation  of 
persons  pretending  skill  in  such  deceits. 

3.  Superstition,  which  is  an  over-credulity,  attrib- 
uting, without  reason  or  scriptural  faith,  meanings  and 
effects  to  things  and  occurrences  with  which  they  have 
no  connection,  —  as,  thinking  Friday  an  unlucky  day, 
or  a  comet  ominous  of  disaster,  or  that  chances  at 
cards,  or  fortune-telling  tables,  show  any  facts  beyond 
ordinary  providence  and  the  revealed  Scriptures.  (It 
is  noteworthy  here,  that  superstition  is  distinguished 
from  venemtion  of  the  true  God  by  always  producing 
gloom  and  dread.  It  is  "  the  spirit  of  fear,"  as  opposed 
to  "  the  spirit  of  love  and  of  power  and  of  a  sound 
mind.")  In  a  word,  whatever  notion  or  act,  especially 
in  attempting  to  get  a  knowledge  of,  or  control  over, 
things  not  shown  us  by  God  in  nature  or  the  Bible, 
which  is  not  consistent  with  a  simple  trust  in  his  over- 
ruling providence  and  grace.  We  must  not  delude  our 
pride  by  thinking  such  profane  follies  peculiar  to  hea- 
then nations  and  darker  ages.  Superstition,  in  various 
forms,  is  rife  among  us  at  this  very  time,  and  will  continue 
to  prevail  until  Christian  faith,  enlightening  reason,  has 
cast  out  all  power  of  the  devil  from  our  hearts.     In- 

*  There  is  a  variation  here  from  the  German  in  the  Dutch  version. 


Lect.  XLIV.]  THE  FIRST  COMMANDMENT.  439 

deed,  it  would  seem  to  have  received  a  new  impulse, 
and  to  meet  with  ready  dupes,  since  so-called  spiritual- 
ism, (which  is  nothing  else  than  necromancy,  or  super- 
natural communication  with  departed  spirits,)  the  silli- 
est of  all  divining  contrivances,  has  obtained  so  wide  a 
credence,  and  that  even  among  cultivated  minds.  No 
true  Christian,  worshipping  the  true  God,  should  give 
the  slightest  heed  to  such  miserable  impiety,  nor  will 
he  be  ensnared  by  it  so  long  as  he  maintains  a  lively 
faith  in  the  promises  of  his  heavenly  Father  ;  for  then 
he  will  believe  none  but  the  God  of  the  Bible,  and 
desire  to  know  no  more  than  what  God  teaches  him. 
Hence  our  church,  at  the  celebration  of  the  Lord's 
supper,  solemnly  and  peremptorily  bars  from  its  pre- 
cious privileges  "  all  enchanters,  diviners,  charmers, 
and  those  who  confide  [or  put  faith]  in  such  enchant- 
ments." Let  lis,  beloved,  seeing  how  weak  our  human 
nature  is,  beware,  lest  we  also,  being  led  away  with 
the  error  of  the  wicked,  fall  from  our  own  steadfast- 
ness. "  Let  us  walk  in  the  light  as  children  of  the 
light,  because  the  darkness  is  past,  and  the  true  light 
now  shineth." 

4.  Invocation  of  saints  •  or  other  creatures.  This 
sin  is  pronounced  by  our  church,  in  her  form  for  the 
Lord's  supper,  as  not  at  all  compatible  with  genuine 
faith.  In  both  places,  worship  of  deceased  saints  and 
even  angels,  by  invoking  their  aid  or  asking  them  to 
intercede  for  us  with  God,  as  practised  and  approved 
by  the  Papal  church,  is  particularly  aimed  at  and  de- 
nounced. It  is  nothing  else  than  a  practice  of  ancient 
heathenism,  which  made  gods  of  dead  heroes,  or  kings, 
or  wise  men,  and  therefore  should  have  no  place 
amonrr  Christians.     It  is  the  extreme  of  irrationalism 


440  THE  FIRST  COMMANDMENT.  [Lect.  XLIV. 

to  dream  that  a  human  spirit  can  have  the  omnipresent 
heart-searching  faculty  of  God,  so  as  to  hear  our  pray- 
ers and  know  our  thoughts  ;  nor  is  there  a  word  of 
Scripture  to  encourage  a  thought  that  God  has  ever 
committed,  or  will  commit,  such  power  upon  any  crea- 
ture. There  is  one,  "  and  but  one  Mediator  between 
God  and  man,  the  man  Christ  Jesus,  who  is  also  Im- 
manuel  God  with  us."  It  is  a  fiction  of  antichrist,  to 
give  to  any  other  the  prerogative  which  is  Christ's 
alone,  and  therefore  violates  the  first  and  greatest  of 
all  the  commandments. 

You  see,  then,  brethren,  how  great  a  blessing  we 
enjoy  in  the  Scriptures  of  our  Christian  faith.  "  The 
world  by  wisdom  [of  its  own]  knew  not  God ; "  and 
when  unwilling  to  have  his  holy  image  in  their  thoughts, 
they  ceased  to  worship  him,  who  is  a  spirit,  in  spirit 
and  in  truth  ;  they  sank  into  all  the  irrational,  degrad- 
ing, cruel,  lascivious  vices  of  heathenism.  We  pity  their 
stupidity  ;  we  abhor  their  practices.  Yet  such  were  our 
own  ancestors,  and  such  should  we  ourselves  be,  but 
for  the  light  of  "  the  glorious  gospel  of  the  blessed 
God."  Jehovah,  who  led  his  ancient  Israel  out  of  the 
house  of  bondage,  has  led  us  and  our  fathers  out  of 
w^orse  slavery.  Let  us  bless  his  holy  name,  and,  offer- 
ing him  the  undivided  homage  of  our  hearts,  entreat 
him,  while  we  rely  only  on  his  grace,  to  keep  us  from 
fallino;. 

Remember,  also,  dearly  beloved,  that  it  needs  not  a 
sculptured  image,  or  invocation  of  a  demon,  or  charm, 
or  incantation,  to  coustitute  idolatry.  Whatever  comes 
between  us  and  God,  receiving  the  trust  which  should 
be  put  in  him  alone,  or  shutting  out  from  us  the  blessed 


Lect.  XLIV.]         the  first  COMMANDMENT.  441 

light  which  shines  in  his  gracious  countenance,  is  an 
idol 

Nay,  if  we  do  not  know  him  and  Jesus  Christ,  wor- 
shipping hhn,  through  our  only  Mediator,  with  all  the 
love  of  our  hearts,  all  the  adoration  of  our  minds,  all 
the  strength  of  our  souls,  we  are  idolaters,  because  we 
may  be  sure  that  some  creature  has  come  between  us 
and  him.  Let  these  awful  words,  O  Holy  Spirit,  be 
written  deep  in  our  hearts  :  — 
"  Thou  shalt  have  no  other  gods  before  me." 


-    LECTURE    XLV. 

ON  THE  ORIGIN  AND  HISTOEY  Or  IDOLATRY. 


THIRTY -FIFTH    LORD'S    DAY. 

ON    THE 

ORIGIN   AND   HISTORY   OF   IDOLATRY. 

T^HE  religious  worship  of  any  object  other  than  the 
-*-  Infinite  Supreme  is  so  contrary  to  pure  reason,  and 
the  prevalence  of  the  monstrous  error,  where  an  immedi- 
ate or  a  written  revelation  has  not  shed  its  divine  light, 
so  nearly  universal,  that  the  origin  and  history  of  idola- 
try should  excite  a  grave  curiosity  in  the  mind  of  every 
thoughtful  Christian.  The  evident  proneness  of  our 
race  to  the  deadly  sin,  and  the  deep  moral  degradation 
by  which  it  is  infallibly  accompanied  and  followed,  ren- 
der the  inquiry  one  of  the  utmost  practical  importance. 
There  is  the  more  need  of  thoroughly  investigating  the 
subject,  from  the  fact,  too  little  known,  that  the  specious 
but  deadly  sophistries  of  infidel  speculators,  especially 
those  of  the  French  School  during  the  last  century,  have 
been  suffered  to  pervade  the  treatises  of  Christian  stu- 
dents, and  thence  the  opinions  of  Christians  generally. 
We  must  refute  and  vitterly  repudiate  their  falsities  be- 
fore we  can  take  the  first  step  in  the  right  direction  ; 
nor  will  the  refutation  be  difficult  if  we  meet  them  at 
their  starting-point,  and  compare  their  imaginary  data 
with  the  statements  of  Scripture,  and  the  corroboration 
of  those  statements  by  reason  and  history. 

The  grand  falsity  of  these  philosoj)hers,  and  the  basis 
on  which  they  have  built  all  their  scheme,  is  the  as- 
sumption that  barbarism  and  ignorance  was  the  original 


446  ON   IDOLATRY.  [Lect.  XLV. 

state  of  man  ;  and  that,  by  the  force  of  natural  reason 
actino-  on  the  inconveniences  and  growino;  necessities  of 
such  a  state,  they  have  evolved  the  cultivation  of  the 
soil,  the  laws  of  property,  general  virtue,  the  combina- 
tions of  government,  in  a  word,  the  whole  social  sys- 
tem ;  nay,  ignorant  in  a  great  degree  of  natural  causes, 
and  stimulated  by  a  desire  of  happiness,  which  the  least 
experience  taught  them  was  beyond  their  ability  to 
secure,  they  sought  the  aid  and  deprecated  the  wrath 
of  a  higher  power,  and  so  constructed  a  religion  in  the 
worship,  first,  of  perceptible  forces,  as,  light,  wind,  the 
flow  of  waters,  vegetation,  —  then,  of  imaginary  beings, 
invisible  but  ever  active,  controlling  those  forces.  These 
they  represented  to  the  eye  by  various ,  forms,  princi- 
pally an  exaggeration  of  the  human,  grotesque,  or  beau- 
tiful, according  to  their  taste,  clothing  them  with  ap- 
propriate attributes  and  symbols.  When  knowledge 
increased,  and  cultivated  reflection  showed  them  the 
need  of  a  yet  higher  authority  to  which  men  should 
feel  themselves  responsible,  they  attained  the  ideas  of  a 
Supreme  Being  and  a  future  state  of  reward  and  pun- 
ishment. The  more  atheistical  of  the  anti-scriptural 
theorists  ridicule  all  such  efforts  after  religion  as  slav- 
ishly superstitious,  and  denounce  religion  itself  as  an 
imposture  of  priests  and  tyrants  combining  to  hold  the 
vulgar  in  siibjection  by  visionary  terrors ;  hence  the 
atheism  of  revolutionary  France  ;  but  those  who  are 
not  willing  to  deny  God  a  place  in  the  universe,  con- 
tend that  all  religion  has  been  a  legitimate,  gradual 
discovery  by  the  human  soul  seeking  after  truth,  as  the 
poet  expresses  it :  — 

'•  Tlii-ouf,'h  nature  up  to  nature's  God." 

'    This  scheme,  as  you  see,  finds  man  living  apart  in  a 


lect.  xlv.]  on  idolatry.  447 

wilderness,  scarcely  raised  above  the  wild  brutes,  sub- 
sisting by  the  chase  or  fishing,  and  on  vegetables  of 
spontaneous  growth, — then,  as  families  increased,  and 
these  resources  became  inadequate,  contriving  the  arts 
of  life  and  the  morals  requisite  for  communities,  of 
which  relioion  is  the  highest.  Two  facts  are  thus  ad- 
mitted,  which  Ave  note,  because  useful  to  our  future 
argument  and  fatal  to  that  of  our  opponents  :  first, 
that  man  had  a  beginning  ;  secondly,  that  he  has  a 
natural  tendency  towards  religion,  as  necessary  to  the 
development  of  his  better  condition.  The  human  sav- 
age could  not  have  sprung  into  being  uncaused,  and 
Math  filial  instinct  must  have  sought  his  author. 

The  scheme  is,  however,  contradicted  by  all  history 
and  the  traditions  of  our  race.  We  have  no  accredited 
instance  of  a  people  elevating  themselves  out  of  barba- 
rism to  civilization  without  foreign  aid.  Some  plausi- 
ble attempts  have  been  made  to  adduce  instances  of 
the  kind,  as  the  ancient  Mexicans  and  the  Greeks,  the 
civilization  of  both  of  whom  have  been  claimed  to  be 
indigenous  ;  but,  putting  aside  other  facts  which  our 
time  will  not  allow  us  to  cite,  the  great  fact  cannot  be 
questioned,  that  there  was  civilization  in  the  world 
antecedent  to  their  rise.  The  source  from  which  the 
Mexican  sprang,  and  their  early  condition,  are  too 
deeply  obscure  to  permit  any  theory  of  their  growth, 
though  the  character  of  their  monuments  strongly 
savors  of  an  eastern  transoceanic  kindred.  But  with 
regard  to  European,  or,  indeed,  the  whole  of  the  old- 
world  civilization,  we  can  —  unless  we  ignore  the  uni- 
versal voice  of  classical  antiquity,  backed  by  proof  in 
the  names  of  places,  rivers,  mountains,  and  cities,  fixing 
unalterably  the  main  truth  of  their  traditions  —  trace 


448  ON   IDOLATRY.  [Lect.  XLV. 

the  transfer  of  grafts  of  civilization  from  the  farthest 
east  to  the  ultimate  nortli.  Greece  avowed  her  deri- 
vation of  culture  from  Asia  and  Egypt.  The  very 
names  about  the  Athenian  Acropolis  perpetuate  those  of 
the  Egyptian  immigrants  who  introduced  laws  and  arts 
amonii  her  aborioinal  Pelaso-i.  From  the  beginning  of 
lier  annals,  down  to  the  northern  mvasion,  her  people, 
philosophers  as  well  as  the  illiterate,  regarded  the  east- 
ern lands  much  as  we  Americans  regard  Europe.  Their 
religious  system  and  ceremonies  were  to  a  great  extent 
the  same  as  the  Eg\})tian.  The  most  trusted  oracle  of 
all  was  that  of  Jupiter  Ammon  in  the  Libyan  desert, 
and  he  was  clearly  the  Osiris  of  Egypt  and  probably 
I  he  Ham  of  the  Ethiopians  ;  while  tiie  Egyptians  them- 
selves frankly  owned  that  they  had  derived  their  sys- 
tem, religious  and  philosophical,  from  a  far  more  remote 
period.  We  all  know  the  influence  of  Greece  over 
Italy,  and  of  Italy  over  northern  Europe  ;  nay,  that 
maritime  part  of  Italy  about  the  modern  Naples  and 
eastward  to  the  sites  of  Crotona  and  Lybaris,  are  full 
of  evidences  that  Egyptian  influences  were  there  long 
before  those  of  Greece.  Similar,  though  not  so  distinct, 
traces  of  Phoenician  emigration  may  be  found  in  more 
northern  Europe  as  in  Southern  France  and  in  Ireland, 
or,  if  we  credit  acute  ethnologists,  in  various  other  re- 
gions. From  Europe  civilization  has  come  here  to  the 
western  continent,  and  is  now  rolling  back  the  tide 
over  the  decayed  nations  from  which  it  originally 
flowed.  All  this,  and  in  many  ways  we  have  no  time 
to  particularize,  points  backward  and  backward  until 
we  reach  the  acknowledged  seat  of  the  first  human 
philos()i)hy  in  Chaldea, close  to  the  region  which  Scrip- 
ture makes  the  second  cradle  of  the  race,  where  the 


Lect.  xlv.]  on  idolatry.  449 

great  temple  of  Babel,  or  Baal,  or  Bel,  or  Belus,  was 
built,  and  whence  was  the  dispersion  of  the  nations. 
We  find  the  notion  of  man's  original  barbarism  no- 
where  in  antiquity,  but  always  the  reverse,  —  a  chief  ■ 
proof  of  which  was  the  general  traditionary  belief  in  a 
o'olden  age  when  man  was  fresh  from  tlie  creating 
power,  of  whicli  Hesiod,  as  old  as  Homer,  or,  as  many 
think,  older,  gives  a  glowing  description,  accompanied 
with  many  other  asserted  facts  'corroboratory  of  our 
position.  Allow  us  but  the  one  fact,  that  man  had  a 
beginning,  and  his  origin  must  be  attributed  to  a  crea- 
tor, —  then  it  is  impossible  to  believe  that  the  intelli- 
gent cause  who  gave  him  such  a  wonderful  being,  phys- 
ically, intellectually,  and  morally,  would  have  intro- 
duced his  creature  into  the  world  a  mere  savaoe  and 
without  knowledge  of  Him  "  in  whom  his  breath  was 
and  in  whose  hands  were  all  his  ways,"  or,  as  the 
heathen  poet,  quoted  by  Paul  on  Areopagus,  says, 
whose  "  offspring  "  he  was. 

It  is  remarkable  also,  and  as  susceptible  of  clear 
proof  as  it  is  remarkable,  that  men,  so  far  from  becom- 
ing more  moral  and  religious  as  they  descended  from 
antiquity,  actually  grew  worse  and  worse.  This  was 
seen  in  the  history  of  their  philosophy,  as  well  as  in 
that  of  the  people  ;  nor  were  they  ever  weary  —  philos- 
ophers, poets,  historians,  and  moralists  —  of  praising  the 
ancient  manners  and  regretting  their  decay.  In  the 
same  manner  we  hear  them  always  ascribing  their  re- 
ligious habits  to  the  example  of  the  past,  never  claim- 
ing them  as  inventions  of  their  own.  One  of  the  finest 
passages  of  Plato,  respecting  the  e'xistence  of  divine 
power  and  the  duty  of  worship,  is  an  indignant  burst 
of  astonishment  tliat  any  could  doubt  the  gods,  when 

VOL.  II.  i2'J 


450  ON   IDOLATRY.  [Lkct.  XLV. 

they  all  liad  been  taught  the  elements  of  religion  on 
their  nurses'  laps  and  at  their  mother's  knee,  and  by 
the  unanimous  example  of"  all  people,  civilized  and  bar- 
barian, wlio  worship  in  temples  and  bow  down  at  the 
rising  and  setting  of  the  sun.  A  clear  acknowledg- 
ment that  such  faith  was  traditionary.  Indeed,  so  uni- 
versal was  tliis  reference  to  divinity,  that  all  the  older, 
more  eminent  legislators  and  teachers  claimed  the  re- 
spect of  the  multitude  on  account  of  a  divine  inspira- 
tion. The  founders  of  states  boasted  a  divine  lineage. 
Lycurgus  in  Greece,  as  Numa  in  Rome,  asserted  them- 
selves to  be  the  mediums  of  divine  instruction.  Pythag- 
oras, at  once  the  head  of  a  sect  and  the  fomider  of  a 
philosophical  republic,  who  drew  his  mystical  doctrines 
from  Egypt,  was  called  by  his  disciples  the  Son  of  God, 
and  assumed  miraculous  gifts.  Plato,  on  whose  infant 
lips  a  swarm  of  bees  lovingly  clustered,  Avas  on  similar 
testimony  virgin-born  ;  and  even  the  grave,  good  Soc- 
rates had,  as  he  asserted,  his  guardian  demon.  The 
old  poets,  who  were  also  the  historians  and  the  proph- 
ets of  early  times,  readily  received  the  epithet  "  divine" 
from  their  supposed  inspiration.  It  were  easy  to  cite 
a  multitude  of  like  instances,  showing  that  the  human 
mind  has  never  been  satisfied  with  mere  human  author- 
ity, but  has  always  demanded  divine  testimonies  to 
moral  doctrines. 

If,  as  we  have  shown,  the  common  belief  of  man- 
kind has  been  always  against  the  idea  that  barbarism 
was  man's  original  condition,  and  that  his  progress  has 
been  toward  refinement  and  religion,  the  books  of  the 
Scriptures  contradict  it  even  more  positively.  We  see 
the  two  brothers  near  the  gate  of  Eden,  —  one  a  tiller 
of  the  ground,  the  other  a  shepherd.    The  earliest  work 


Lect.  xlv.]  on  idolatry.  451 

recorded  of  Noah  after  the  dehige  was  the  planting  of 
a  vineyard.  The  circumcised  patriarchs,  because  pil- 
grims without  a  country,  were  migratory  herdsmen, 
while  the  farthest  records  show  us  Egypt  eminent  for 
its  agricultural  wealth,  and  ruled  by  shepherd-kings. 
In  vain  do  we  search  for  a  barbarous  people  in  those 
remote  ages.  Barbarism  was  of  a  later  date.  Adam, 
who  conversed  with  God,  his  Creator,  as  a  child  with 
his  father,  must  have  learned  from  his  infinite  Teacher 
the  great  truths  of  religion,  and  cannot  be  supposed  to 
have  forgotten  them  in  his  fall,  but  must  have  taught 
them  to  his  multiplying  descendants  till  the  close  of 
his  long  term.  Between  him  and  the  calling  of  Abra- 
ham, we  see  that  there  were  needed  only  three  —  Me- 
thuselah, Noah,  and  Shem  —  to  hand  down  the  pri- 
meval doctrines. 

Religion,  therefore,  was  no  discovery  of  reason,  no 
gradual  development.  True  religion  was  the  original 
faith  of  men  in  the  divine  testimon3^  This  is  in  accord- 
ance with  the  account  given  by  the  apostle  Paul  in  the 
first  chapter  of  the  Romans,  where  he  tells  us :  "  The 
wrath  of  God  is  revealed  from  heaven  against  all  ungod- 
liness and  unrighteousness  of  men,  who  hold  the  truth 
in  unrighteousness  ;  because  that  which  may  be  known 
of  God  is  manifest  in  them  ;  for  God  hath  shown  it  unto 
them  ;  for  the  invisible  things  of  him  from  the  creation 
of  the  world  are  clearly  seen,  being  understood  by  the 
things  that  are  made,  even  his  eternal  power  and  God- 
head :  so  that  they  are  without  excuse :  because  that 
when  they  knew  God,  they  worshipped  him  not  as  God, 
neither  were  thankful,  but  became  vain  in  their  imagina- 
tions, and  their  foolish  heart  was  darkened.  Professing 
themselves  to  be  wise,  they  became  fools,  and  changed 


452  ON  IDOLATRY.  [Lect.  XLV. 

the  glory  of  the  uncorruptible  God  into  an  image  made 
like  to  corruptible  man,  and  to  birds,  and  four-footed 
beasts,  and  creeping  things.  Wherefore  God  also  gave 
them  up  to  uncleanness,  through  the  lusts  of  their  own 
hearts,  to  dislionor  their  own  bodies  between  them- 
selves :  who  changed  the  truth  of  God  into  a  lie,  and 
worshipped  and  served  the  creature  more  than  the  Cre- 
ator, who  is  blessed  forever.  Amen."  Here  the  apostle, 
of  his  inspired  wisdom,  declares  that  the  nations  had 
originally  a  knowledge  of  the  true  God  ;  but  unwilling 
to  retain  a  sense  of  his  holy  spiritual  majesty,  yet 
unable  to  banish  all  thought  of  divinity,  tliey  turned 
their  worship  to  senseless  images  of  man  and  brutes, 
and  even  reptiles  ;  and,  therefore,  God  suffered  them 
to  lose  his  true  idea,  and  in  consequence  the  most 
deplorable  immoralities  took  the  place  of  that  virtue 
which  the  worship  of  a  spiritual  God  enforces.  Idol- 
atry was  not  the  attempt  of  a  barbarous  mind  to  seek 
divinity,  but  the  departure  of  civilized,  instructed  mind 
from  God,  and  barbarism  itself  the  fall  of  mankind 
from  orio-inal  civilization. 

The  theory  of  the  Bible  is  corroborated  by  the  facts 
of  history. 

We  mark,  however,  more  particularly  that  it  was 
the  spirituality  of  the  divine  nature  which  offended  the 
corrupted  heart  of  man.  A  spiritual  Creator,  infinitely 
above  the  passions  and  appetites  of  corporeal  life,  and 
the  pure  ruler  over  the  creatures  he  had  made,  held 
them  in  fear  and  restraint  from  the  sensualities  they 
desired  to  enjoy  ;  and,  therefore,  they  exerted  their 
wicked  ingenuity  to  darken  their  hearts  against  spirit- 
xaal  holy  light.  They  could  not  do  without  religion 
altogether ;    the  evidences   of  divine   power   were   too 


lect.  xlv.]  on  idolatry.  453 

strong,  their  dependence  on  power  higher  than  their 
own,  too  manifest ;  the  habit,  grown  almost  instinctive, 
to  pray  and  worship  when  calamities  threatened  or 
successes  were  doubtful,  could  not  be  repressed ;  and  so 
they  set  up  before  their  eyes  symbolical  images  which 
they  worshipped,  not  as  they  would  liaAe  said  had  they 
been  questioned,  because  they  considered  those  sense- 
less shapes  to  possess  divine  attributes,  but  because  they 
suggested  the  ideas  of  God  to  their  mind.  It  was  the 
same  error  as  that  into  which  the  Papist  has  fallen,  who 
will  tell  you  that  he  does  not  worship  the  crucifix  he 
liolds  before  him,  but  the  Saviour  whom  the  image 
brings  eloquently  to  his  remembrance.  We  have  a 
striking  illustration  of  this  in  the  Israelites  at  the  foot 
of  Sinai ;  who,  impatient  of  delay  when  the  glorious 
sign  of  the  divine  presence,  which  had  led  them  out  of 
Egypt,  rested  long  on  the  top  of  the  mount,  demanded 
of  Aaron  that  he  should  make  them  gods  which  should 
go  before  them  ;  and  Aaron  copied  the  Egyjjtian  sym- 
bol of  productive  force,  the  agricultural  ox,  or,  as  our 
translators  render  it,  a  calf.  That  neither  they  nor 
Aaron  considered  the  golden  calf  to  be  a  conscious 
god,  but  only  a  symbol  of  divine  power,  is  seen  in  the 
fact  that  Moses  proclaimed  a  feast  unto  the  Lord  (Je- 
hovah), the  name  of  Israel's  covenant  God. 

The  purpose  of  idolatry  being  to  get  rid  of  a  spirit- 
ual divinity,  from  which  moral  attributes,  condemning 
their  sensual  vices,  were  inseparable,  but  to  retain  the 
physical  power  of  divinity  for  their  selfish  purposes, 
they  set  up  images  symbolical  of  the  forces  visible  in 
nature.  In  other  respects  than  superhuman  power, 
they  made  their  gods  animal  and  subject  to  animal 
passions  like  themselves,  —  nay,  like  the  brutes.     The 


454  ON   IDOLATRY.  [Lect.  XLV. 

least  acquaintance  with  heathen  mythology  proves  the 
truth  of  Aristotle's  saying,  that  "  such  as  men  wish  the 
gods  to  be,  so  they  make  them."  For  the  same  reason 
not  only  did  the  imputed  sensualities  of  the  gods  en- 
courage similar  impurities  among  their  worshippers, 
but  sensuality  of  the  grossest  character  became  pre- 
scribed parts  of  idolatrous  worship  ;  and  not  a  few  of 
their  most  observed  festivals  and  ceremonies  were  most 
abominable  imitations  and  representations  of  acts  on 
the  part  of  their  gods  of  which,  as  the  apostle  Paul 
says  in  particular  reference  to  them,  it  is  a  shame  even 
to  speak.  The  first  chapter  of  the  Epistle  to  the  Ro- 
mans is  a  history  true  to  the  letter  of  the  Gentile  idol- 
atry. 

They  retained,  as  we  have  said,  the  idea  of  divine 
force  —  the  motive  power,  if  I  may  so  speak  —  in  their 
gods  ;  and  this  is  the  key  to  the  philosophy  of  idolatry ; 
though  in  more  ignorant  nations,  or  where  the  corrup- 
tion became  most  brutal,  the  traces  of  it  are  less  dis- 
tinct. Thus  the  first  object  of  idolatrous  worship  was 
fire,  or  the  great  central  fire,  the  sun.  They  were  led 
first  to  this,  no  doubt,  by  the  fact  that  God  himself  had 
made  supernatural  fire  or  flame  or  brightness,  "  glory," 
as  it  is  termed  by  the  sacred  writers,  the  symbol  of  his 
presence.  But  they  soon  went  farther ;  and  as  they 
saw  the  sun,  by  his  active  heat,  calling  forth  the  fei'tihty 
of  the  earth,  they  learned  to  worship  productive  force 
in  that  gloi'ious  sign  and  medium  of  divine  power. 
The  earth,  for  the  reason  that  she  bears  the  fruit  of 
the  sun's  genial  influences,  received  the  name  of 
mother;  and  out  of  this  marriage  grew  the  widely 
extended  worship  of  j)roductive  energy  under  mascu- 
line and  feminine  symbols,  known  as  the  Bacchic  or 


lect.  xlv.]  on  idolatry.  455 

Phallic  system,  the  main  elements  of  which  exist  to 
this  day  in  the  idolatries  of  India,  and  spread  them- 
selves from  Egypt  over  the  ancient  historical  world. 
Of  this  most  popular,  because  most  sensual  of  all  idola- 
tries, it  is  not  becoming  for  us  to  say  more  ;  but  could 
we  detail  its  nature  and  its  mystic  ceremonies  as  they 
were  practised  by  the  classical  nations,  as  well  as  many 
less  cultivated,  down  to  as  late  a  period  as  the  sixth 
century  after  Christ,  all  would  bear  out  the  statement 
we  have  made. 

In  process  of  time  this  productive  energy  came  to  be 
divided  among  many  new  inferior  gods  who  were,  to 
the  minds  of  the  common  people  at  least,  the  control- 
lers of  various  departments  in  nature  and  art  and  intel- 
lectual exercise.  The  sea,  the  winds,  the  farm,  poetry, 
wisdom,  peace,  war,  all  had  their  tutelary  or  peculiar 
deities,  while  each  mountain,  stream,  and  tree  had  its 
guardian  nymphs. 

The  primeval  faith  had  left  traces  on  the  traditionary 
conscience  of  mankind  too  deep  to  be  eradicated,  and 
accordingly  we  find  a  general  acknowledgment  that 
vice  provoked  the  anger,  and  virtue  had  the  approba- 
tion of  the  powers  that  rule  human  destinies.  There 
are  passages  in  the  philosophical  writings  and  the  tragic 
poems  containing  sentiments  and  truths  which  approach 
in  purity  and  sublimity  .the  inspired  Scriptures  ;  but 
the  philosopher  painfully  felt  the  lack  of  evidence  on 
which  to  base  a  confident  trust,  and  the  strain  of  the 
highest  poetry  places  retributive  justice  above  the 
gods  themselves,  and  even  ruling  them  as  by  eternal 
fates.  Every  scholar  is  familiar  with  the  mysterious 
destiny  which,  through  all  the  tragic  and  heroic  poems, 
is  made  to  pursue  with  calamitous  vengeance,  yet  as  a 


456  ON   IDOLATRY.  [Lect.  XLV. 

blind  necessity,  tlie  perpetrators  of  greater  crim'es  ai^d 
their  descendants.  This  does  not,  however,  deny  the 
ftict  that  the  aim  of  idolatry  in  transferring  worship 
from  a  spiritnal  supreme  to  sensible,  material  objects,, 
was  to  deprive  divinity  of  moral  attributes.  They 
dreaded  divine  jnstice,  and  when  conscious  of  guilt, 
sought  to  avert  its  wrath  by  sacrifices  and  purifications, 
but  they  never  adored  it  as  a  venerable  claim  on  their 
homage  anid  trust.  The  prayer  of  the  people  never 
was  for  purity  of  heart  and  strength  of  virtue  ;  in  a 
word,  there  was  no  love  of  holiness. in  all  their  worsliip, 
no  practical  recognition  of  it  in  all  their  religion  ;  and 
this,  we  repeat,  was  the  reason  why  the  morals  of  hea- 
thenism were  so  abominably  depraved,  their  very  gods, 
because  of  their  own  vices,  becoming  so  low  and  con- 
temptible as  to  be  made  the  butt  of  satirists  and  farce- 
writers.  Even  while  they  persecuted  to  death  teachers 
who,  like  Socrates,  endeavored  to  restore  the  moral 
authority  of  heaven  over  the  popular  theogony,  and 
while  the  altars  of  magnificent  temples  were  deluged 
with  the  blood  of  hecatombs,  amidst  the  smoke  of  the 
costliest  perfumes,  the  audience  in  the  theatre  roared 
in  laughter  at  the  scurrilous  jokes  of  Aristophanes  or 
Plautus,  who  were  never  so  witty  or  recklessly  bold  as 
when  ridiculing  the  inhabitants  of  Olympus,  from  the 
father  of  gods  and  men  down  to  sooty  Vulcan. 

The  object  of  this  discourse  will  have  been  gained, 
if  its  argument,  for  obvious  reasons  more  brief  than 
another  occasion  might  allow,  has  served  to  show  the 
immense  practical  importance  of  our  Lord's  divine  doc- 
trine :  "  God  is  a  spirit,  and  they  that  worship  him 
must  worsliip  him  in  spirit  and  in  truth."  There  is  in 
onr  natures,  even  when  renewed,  but  as  yet  imperfectly 


Lect.  XLV.]  ON   IDOLATRY.  457 

sanctified,  a  constant  struggle  between  the  spirit  and 
the  flesh,   which    prompts   men  to  substitute   external, 
visible  forms  for  a  spiritual  religion.     The  tendency  to 
such  a  corruption  of  worship  is  not  peculiar  to  heathen- 
ism, so  called,  but  has  exerted  its  baneful  sway  under 
the  name  of  Christianity,  as  the  rites  of  the  Papists,  and 
those  who  imitate  them,  too  plainly  show  ;  nor  is  it  alto- 
gether absent  from  the  straitest  sects  of  Protestantism. 
It  is  the  vice  of  our  fallen  nature  against  which  we 
have   all    constautly   to   struggle,   and   shows   itself  in 
every  attempt  to  have  the  form  of  godliness  while  we 
deny  the  power  thereof.      Pteligion,  to  be  true,  must  be 
a  spiritual  worship  of  tlie  infinite  Spirit.     His  authority 
searching    our    inmost    thoughts,   his    love    ruling    our 
moral  affections,  alone  can  control   the  practice  of  our 
lives.     Hence  a  godly  life  is  throughout  the  Scripture 
a  spiritual  life,  and  is  begun,  continued,  consummated 
by  the  Spirit  of  God  dwelling  in  and  bearing  witness 
Avith    our    spirits,    thereby    enabling    us    by    a    divme 
strength   to   resist  and   overcome    the    degrading    ten- 
dencies of  our  carnal  natures.     Hence  faith,  the  main 
instrument  of  the  Holy  Ghost  for  our  sanctification,  is 
a  belief  of  God's  moral  truth,  discerning  things  invisi- 
ble and  eternal.     Such  belief  alone  can  make  us  closely 
acquainted  with  God,  purge  our  souls  from  the  gross- 
ness   of   sensualism,   and   overcome   the   world  by  the 
infinitely    transcendent    attractions    of    eternal    fellow- 
ship with  God.     Hence  the  first  commandment  of  the 
law  demands  of  us  faith  in  the  absolute  supremacy  of 
the  one  only  God  ;  the  second  insists  on  an  equal  rec- 
ognition of  his  spiritual  essence,  and  forbids  all  prac- 
tices  springing  from  a  desire   to  rid  ourselves  of  the 


i 


458  ON   IDOLATRY.  [Lect.  XLV. 

moral  restraints  which  his  spiritual  nature  imposes 
upon  all  who  fear  and  adore  him.  It  is  only  in  this 
broad  light  that  we  can  see  the  full  meaning  of  the 
second  commandment  and  its  true  object  in  forbidding 
all  idolatry.  , 


LECTURE    XLVI. 

ON  PROFANE  SWEARING. 


) 


THIRTY-SIXTH   LORD'S   DAY. 
ON    PROFANE    SWEARING. 

"  Thou  slialt  not  take  the  name  of  the  Lord  thy  God  in  vain  ;  for  the  Lord 
will  not  hold  him  guiltless  that  taketh  his  name  in  vain."  —  Exouu.sxx.  7 

TT  were  very  painful  to  think  that,  among  this  vast 
-*-  crowd  of  intelligent  and  educated  young  men,*  there 
could  be  found  one  who  denied  or  even  doubted  the 
being  of  God.  So  deeply  is  the  great  Idea  impressed 
upon  human  reason,  so  clearly  is  it  announced  to  us  by 
revelation,  so  fully  is  it  demonstrated  by  the  admirable 
economy  of  nature,  so  necessary  is  it  to  philosophical 
argument  as  the  source  of  all  law,  so  essential  to  social 
morals  as  the  universal,  supreme,  only  sufficient  motive 
of  virtue,  that  we  regard  an  atheist  as  a  monster,  oui' 
pity  for  whose  wretchedness  is  wellnigh  swallowed  up 
in  disgust  at  his  deformity.  Yet,  my  friends,  when  we 
acknowledge,  as  we  do,  the  existence  of  God,  we  con- 
fess that  he  is  our  God,  our  Creator ;  therefore,  our 
Owner,  our  Ruler  ;  therefore,  our  Judge.  Let  us  sus- 
pend our  officious  denunciation  of  the  atheist,  and  ask, 
What  are  we,  if,  believing  in  God,  we  live  as  though 
there  were  no  God  ?  if,  while  he  speaks  in  his  word, 
we  deafen  our  ears  to  his  voice,  forget  him  amidst  the 
countless  miracles  of  his  works,  and,  stiffing  his  witness 
in  our  consciences,  do  as  we  list,  careless  of  our  duty 
and  allegiance,  disi'egardful  alike  of  his  smile  or  his 
frown,  his  eternal  rewards  or  everlasting  damnation. 

*  This  lecture  was  one  of  a  course  of  sermons,  preached  by  the  clergy- 
men of  New  York  and  other  cities,  before  the  Young  l\Ien's  Christian  Asso- 
ciation of  New  York. 


462  ON   PROFANE  SWEARING.  [Lect.  XLVI. 

But  criminal  as  such  neglect  of  God  is,  there  is  a 
sin  yet  more  aggravated,  an  offence  against  his  majesty 
far  more  heinous,  more  than  contempt,  a  defiance  of 
his  almighty  wrath,  so  common  that  the  atmosphere 
of  our  land  is  loaded  with  its  enormity ;  nor  can  we 
easily  helieve  that  there  are  none  even  in  this  most 
respectable  audience  stained  by  its  guilt.  It  is  a  pro- 
fane use  of  the  divine  names  and  sentences  in  ordi- 
nary conversation.  No  apology  ne^d  be  made  for 
bringing  a  subject  of  such  importance  to  your  atten- 
tion, since  God  himself  has  given  it  a  place  among  the 
four  great  commandments  which  immediately  respect 
his  own  honor.  That  commandment  shall  be  our 
text :  — 

"  Thou  shalt  not  take  the  name  of  the  Lord  thy 
God  in  vain  ;  for  the  Lord  will  not  hold  him  guiltless 
that  taketh  his  name  in  vain."  —  Exodus  xx.  7. 

We  have  here  two  thino;s  for  our  solemn  consid- 
eration .  — 

First  :  What  is  meant  hy  taking  the  name  of  the 
Lord  our    God  in  vain. 

Secondly  :  The  extreme  wickedness  of  such  profan- 
ity. "  Tlie  Lord  will  not  hold  him  guiltless  that  taketh 
his  name  in  vain.'''' 

First  :  What  is  meant  hy  "  taking  the  name  of  the 
Lord  our   God  in  vain  "  ? 

By  the  name  of  the  Lord  God,  according  to  the 
idiom  of  Scripture,  is  intended  not  merely  the  appella- 
tion of  the  Divine  Being,  but  also  his  supreme  author- 
ity and  power.  Thus  :  "  The  name  of  the  Lord  is  a 
strons  tower,  the  riohteous  runneth  into  it  and  is  safe." 
The  Saviour  did  liis  works  in  liis  "  Father's  name  "  ; 


Lect.  XLYI.]  on   profane   SWEARING.  463 

and  by  his  direction  we  pray,  "  Hallowed  be  thy 
name."  The  simple  mention  of  the  Deity  should  re- 
mind us  of  his  claim  upon  our  worship  and  obedience  ; 
yet  the  text  goes  farther,  and  enjoins  a  reverence  not 
only  for  the  supreme  himself,  but  for  all  that  bears 
the  impress  of  his  majesty  :  "  Thou  shalt  not  treat 
lightly  the  authority  of  the  Lord  thy  God."  The 
prohibition  is,  therefore,  very  extensive,  forbidding  not 
only  perjury,  which  is  an  appealing  to  the  Great 
Searcher  of  hearts  while  uttering  a  lie,  but  also  all 
irreverence  whatsoever  toward  his  names,  titles,  attrib- 
utive epithets,  sentences,  words,  and  institutions. 

As,  however,  it  would  be  impossible  at  present  to 
treat  of  the  whole  subject,  our  consideration  will  be  of 
profaneness  in  common  conversation. 

By  such  profaneness  is  meant, 

1.  Light  and  impious  protestations  by  any  of  the 
Divine  names  on  trivial  occasions.  These  are  correctly 
termed  oaths  in  every  sense  of  that  momentous  word. 
The  profane  swearer  may  not  reflect  upon  what  he  is 
saymg ;  but,  in  fact,  he  is  taking  God  to  witness  of 
what  he  utters.  It  is  not  the  place  or  the  occasion 
which  makes  an  oath,  but  the  assertion  by  the  name  of 
God.  How  awful  the  blasphemy  of  invoking  the  Most 
High  on  slight  pretences,  or  of  using  his  venerable  titles 
without  a  solemn  sense  of  their  tremendous  meaning  ! 

2.  The  thoughtless  mention  of  the  divine  name  in 
idle  or  hasty  exclamations,  such  as,  "  My  God  !  "  "  O 
Lord  !  "  "  God  bless  me  !  "  and  the  like.  If  there 
be  any  meaning  in  the  use  of  such  phrases,  it  is  an  in- 
vocation of  the  divine  presence  and  favor,  which  cannot 
be  our  feeling  unless  we  have  some  proper  idea  of  his 
infinite  character ;  and  if  we  utter  them   without  any 


464  ON   PROFANE   SWEARING.  [Lect.  XLVI. 

consideration    of  tlieir  import,  we   grossly   insult   him 
who  is  very  jealous  of  his  name. 

3.  An  irreverent  use  of  those  words  whicli  are  em- 
ployed hy  God  to  denote  his  wrathful  sentences,  as 
damn,  damnation,  ^urse,  hell.  These  and  like  words 
are  so  appro[)riated  to  the  divine  dispensations  of  his 
justice  against  transgressors  of  his  law,  that  they  are 
always,  with  a  few  inconsiderable  exceptions,  so  under- 
stood. What  a  contempt  does  it  argue  of  his  avenging 
anger,  wdien  we  invoke  it  petulantly  or  flippantly  on 
our  own  heads ;  or  cruelly  and  maliciously  desire  to 
make  God  the  minister  of  our  excited  passions  by 
invoking  it  on  the  heads  of  others  ! 

4.  A  wanton  use  of  scriptural  texts  or  expressions 
by  w'ay  of  witticism  or  facetiousness.  The  language 
of  Scripture  is  peculiar,  and,  at  the  same  time,  familiar 
to  us,  so  that  we  readily  recognize  an  imitation  of  it ; 
and  all  the  point  of  the  miserable  jest  lies  in  the  resem- 
blance to  the  words  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  for  the  closer 
the  resemblance,  the  droller  it  is  thought  to  be.  This 
form  of  profaneness  has  too  much  prevalence,  even 
among  those  who  profess  better  and  should  know 
better;  nor  can  it  be  sufficiently  condemned,  for  how 
shocking  should  be  a  travesty  of  those  sacred  words  in 
which  we  are  accustomed  to  hear  God  speaking  of 
mercy  and  judgment,  or  a  parody  of  his  most  gracious 
teachings  !  No  one  can  thus  sport  with  holy  words 
who  has  a  respect  for  the  authority  of  Scripture  ;  nor 
are  we  able  entirely  to  divest  a  text,  which  we  have 
heard  so  abused,  of  the  unworthy  association.  It  may 
be  said  that  no  profanity  is  intended ;  but  how  can 
it  be  otherwise  than  profane  to  use  the  language  of 
eternity  in  speaking  of  trifles,  or  to  raise  an  idle  laugh 


{ 


Lect.  XLVI.]  on   profane  SWEARING.  465 

at  the  exi)ense  of  respect  for  the  word  of  God  ?  The 
Mohammedan,  who  will  not  tread  upon  written  or 
printed  letters  lest  he  might  trample  on  a  saying  of  his 
prophet,  may  teach  professed  Christians  a  lesson  ;  and, 
surely,  he,  who  commanded  Moses  to  put  off  his  shoes 
from  his  feet  as  he  stood  before  the  burning  bush,  be- 
cause the  very  ground  was  holy  from  the  presence  of 
the  Lord,  will  avenge  such  an  insulting  approach  to 
that  holy  word  by  which  he  reveals  himself  as  a  jealous 
God. 

Having  thus  briefly  defined  profanity  in  common 
conversation,  let  us  now  consider, 

Secondly  :  Its  extreme  wickedness.  "  The  Lord 
will  not  hold  him  guiltless  that  taketh  his  name  in 
vain." 

1.  It  is  an  evidence  of  a  heart  deplorably  insensible 
to  the  character  of  the  Most  High.  It  is  the  name 
of  the  Lord  our  God  which  is  so  profaned.  It  is  a 
rule  of  human  as  well  as  divine  wisdom,  to  give  honor 
where  honor  is  due.  Respect  to  our  superiors  in  law- 
fid  authority  has  ever  been  held  necessary  for  the  order 
of  society.  Filial  reverence  is  the  first  lesson  of  filial 
duty.  Our  judges  on  the  bench  and  our  legislators  in 
their  halls  are  protected  by  privileges  and  addressed  by 
titles,  to  which,  as  private  persons,  they  have  no  claim. 
This  deference  is  extended  to  all  who  are  distinguished 
by  age  or  wisdom  or  worth.  A  hoary  head  is  a  crown 
of  honor  in  the  eyes  of  all  but  the  utterly  abandoned. 
To  treat  with  disrespect  the  counsels  of  the  wise  is  to 
argue  ourselves  fools,  and  to  speak  lightly  of  the  good 
is  to  prove  ourselves  depraved.  How  much  more  is  the 
King  eternal,  immortal,  invisible,  the  only  wise  God, 
our  Saviour,  entitled  to  our  reverential  and  awful  re- 

voL.  II.  30 


466  ON  PROFANE   SWEARING.  [Lect.XLVI. 

spect !  He  is  our  Creator,  wlio  formed  us  out  of  dust, 
animated  us  with  intelligent  and  immortal  spirits,  up- 
holds and  preserves  us  by  his  constant  hand  ;  our 
Ruler,  whose  authority  is  over  all,  and  from  whose 
dominion  there  is  no  escape  ;  our  Judge,  by  whose 
laws  and  sentences  our  eternal  state  is  to  be  fixed,  and 
from  whose  decision  there  is  no  appeal  ;  the  infinitely 
glorious  Being,  to  the  majesty  of  whose  holy  perfec- 
tions there  is  no  bound,  —  at  the  thought  of  whom  the 
very  devils  tremble,  —  before  whose  brightness  seraphim 
and  cherubim  veil  their  faces  as  they  adore  ;  whose 
throne  is  ever  surrounded  by  innumerable  hosts  of 
prostrate  worshippers,  and  to  whom  universal  crea- 
tion, except  the  blasphemer,  is  ever  sending  up  hymns 
of  praise,  —  yet  it  is  his  name  that  mau,  the  worm  of 
the  dust,  the  creature  of  his  hand,  dependent  upon  him 
even  for  the  air  he  breathes,  profanes  in  the  burst  of 
anger,  in  peevish  impatience,  in  wanton  thoughtless- 
ness, in  the  ribald  jest.  O  what  must  be  the  depravity 
of  his  heart  who  can  stand  upon  earth,  from  which 
God  took  him,  and  beneath  the  heavens  which  are  tell- 
ing God's  glor}^  and  in  the  midst  of  God's  bountiful, 
beautiful  works,  yet  use  that  tongue,  which  God  taught 
speech,  to  blaspheme  the  holy,  the  just,  and  the  good 
Author  and  Sovereign  of  all  ! 

2.  It  is  a  direct  insult  to  God.  In  other  sins  we 
rebel  against  the  divine  government ;  but  in  profane- 
ness  we  defy  God  to  his  face,  we  rush  before  his  terri- 
ble pi-esence,  we  stand  fronting  his  burning  eye,  and 
fling  our  challenge  at  the  foot  of  his  throne  ;  we  mock 
at  his  curse,  we  scorn  his  threatenings,  we  dare  his 
fierce  damnation,  and  deride  his  fiery  vengeance.  O 
when   we  hear  him  thus  insulted,  assailed,  and  defied, 


Lect.  XLVI.]  on  profane  SWEARING.  467 

we  wonder  tliat  liis  liglitning  sleeps,  tliat  his  red  right 
hand,  which  flung  the  revoking  angels  down  to  hell, 
crushes  not  in  sudden  destruction  the  puny  rebel,  — 
that  the  shuddering  earth  does  not  swallow  him  up  as 
it  did  the  company  of  Korah,  —  that  the  caverns  of  the 
lost  open  not  to  receive  so  congenial  a  spirit  among  the 
blaspheming  fiends  ;  for  who  is  more  worthy  of  the 
tortures  which  the  damned  suffer  than  he  who  pollutes 
the  name  of  God  with  his  foul  lips  ? 

3.  It  is  a  sin  against  knowledge.  In  most  other  sins 
men  may,  at  times,  have  doubts  of  their  criminality. 
The  profane  swearer,  if  he  knows  the  meaning  of  his 
words,  cannot  attempt  such  excuse.  No  one  contends 
for  the  propriety  of  profaneness.  No  one  defends  it  as 
necessary  or  pleasant.  No  one,  who  believes  in  God, 
can  doubt  its  guilt.  There  is  no  need  of  study  to  de- 
tect, or  of  reasoning  to  prove  its  shaniefulness.  The 
command  is  too  plain  to  be  misunderstood :  "  Thou 
shalt  not  take  the  name  of  the  Lord  thy  God  in  vain  ;  " 
and  conscience,  however  hardened,  acknowledges  that 
"  the  Lord  "  should  "  not  hold  him  guiltless  that  taketh 
his  name  in  vain." 

In  other  sins  we  may  forget  that  God  is  nigh  ;  but 
the  profane  sweai'er,  by  the  very  terms  of  his  oath,  con- 
fesses that  he  is  in  God's  presence,  acknowledges  his 
power  and  the  reality  of  his  fearful  curses  on  the 
guilty ;  yet,  in  this  spirit,  he  blasphemes.  He  sins 
wilfully,  therefore  foully  ;  intelligently,  therefore  inex- 
cusably ;  impudently,  therefore  desperately ;  and  when 
the  wrath  of  God  kindles  unquenchable  fires  around  his 
lost  spirit,  in  the  agonies  of  his  despair  and  remorse, 
his  wailing  cry  will  be,  "  I  have  got  that  for  which  I 
prayed.       I   taunted  God   to  do   his  worst.      I  called 


468  ON   PROFANE   SWEARING.  [Lect.  XLVI. 

for  damnation  and  liell,  and  tliey  are  here.  With  my 
own  hand  I  have  plucked  ruin  down  on  my  head  and 
murdered  my  soul !  " 

4.  It  is  a  sin  without  temptation.     Every  other  sin 
has  some  lui'e,  some  promised  pleasure,  some  momen- 
tary gratification,  some  hoped-for  Avorldly  profit.      The 
sensualist   indulges   luxuriously  strong-impelling  appe- 
tites ;   avarice,  fraud,  and  robbery  aim  at  that  wealth 
which  purchases  the  things  of  this  life  ;    revenge   has 
a   malicious    satisfaction    in    paying   back   wrong   with 
wrong  ;  falsehood  seeks  some  end  in  deceiving,  and  the 
sophistry  of  the  sceptic  is  an  affected  display  of  subtile 
acuteness,  or  of  daring  contrariety  to  established  opin- 
ion.    But  profanity,  especially  common  swearing  and  . 
cursing,  has  no  temptation  to  it  except  it  be  unmixed 
wickedness  ;  it  is  a  luxury  to  no  sense,  it  brings  a  man 
no  gain,  it  acquires  for  him  no  credit,  nor  is  there  any- 
thing in  our  natural  constitution  impelling  us  to  it.     A 
profane  swearer  displays  no  talent,  but  rather  proves 
his  lack  of  power  to  express  himself  in  decent  words. 
A  half-witted  fool,  a  drunken  vagabond,  a  brazen  har- 
lot, a  vagrant    child,  can  swear  as  Avell  as   he.      He 
talks  the  most  arrant  nonsense  ;   he  uses  the  most  ab- 
surd phrases  ;  he  fills  his  mouth  with  words  that  mean 
only  vileness.      Profanity  is  the  forlorn  expedient  of  an 
empty  head   and  a  depraved  heart,  the  last  resort  of 
blundering  silliness,  the  incoherence  of  frenzied  rage. 
Does  a  jest  want  point  ?     It  is  sharpened  by  an  oath. 
Is  a  story  insipid  ?     A  curse  is  the  ever-ready  season- 
ing.    Is  an  argument  defective,  or  an  opponent's  con- 
tradiction strong  ?     Blasphemy  is  an  easy  logic.     Is  an 
epithet  wanting  ?     The  swearer  needs  no  rhetoric  to 
supply  it;  he  lias  one  ready  for  all  occasions,  — for  hot 


l.?;cT.  XL VI.]  OX   PROFANE   SWEARING.  469 

or  cold,  black  or  white,  right  or  wrong,  fair  or  ugly. 
Certainly,  there  is  no  intellectual  temptation  to  this 
hateful,  degrading  habit.  The  swearer  must  acknowl- 
edge, that,  were  his  words  summed  up,  no  one  talks 
more  aggregate  absurdity  ;  and  that,  however  wise  in 
other  respects,  for  the  time  he  is  a  parrot-like  babbler, 
or  a  vociferous  dunce.  What  should  we  think  of  a 
judge  swearing  on  the  bench,  an  advocate  in  his  plea, 
a  senator  in  his  place  ?  How  should  we  regard  an 
oath  in  a  written  treatise,  or  a  formal  speech  ?  Is 
there  any  wut,  reasoning,  fancy,  or  beauty  in  it  ?  Can 
it  answer  any  purpose  of  instruction  or  delight  ?  What 
motive  can  there  be  for  profanity  ?  It  has  nothing  in 
it  but  a  gross,  stujnd,  devil-like  contempt  of  all  that 
good  men  love  or  deprecate.  I  have  never  heard  any 
one  defend  it  upon  any  principle  ;  and  the  only  excuse 
ever  offered  is,  that  it  has  become  an  unthinking  habit ; 
though  some  have  owned  themselves  so  lost  to  proper 
feeling  that  (to  use  their  own  expression)  it  did  them 
good  to  swear  when  excited  or  irritated.  "  An  un- 
thinking habit !  "  The  rapid  gi'owth  and  strength  of 
such  a  habit  is  another  proof  of  the  enormous  sin. 
"  No  one,"  says  the  Roman  satirist,  "  ever  became 
very  wicked  at  once."  So  no  one  was  ever  naturally 
or  without  intentional  practice  a  profane  swearer. 
When  he  first  attempted  his  awkward  oath,  he  started 
and  trembled  lest  the  lightning  of  God  would  consume 
him  on  the  spot,  —  his  lips  grew  pale  as  he  faltered  out 
the  fearful  phrase  ;  but  soon,  emboldened  by  the  divine 
forbearance,  calloiis  from  custom,  and  shameless  through 
practised  effrontery,  he  tosses  from  his  leprous  tongue 
oath  after  oath  still  more  and  more  daring,  until  he 
s6arcely  knows   when  he  swears,  and  his  conversation 


470  ON   PROFANE   SWEARING.  [Lect.  XLVI. 

teems  witli  insulting  defiances  of  liis  Malcer.  "  Un- 
thinking habit !  "  "  Untliinking  !  "  Is  it  not  the 
privilege  and  dignity  of  a  man  to  think  ?  Wretched 
swearer,  is  there  naught  that  can  serve  to  supply  your 
dearth  of  words  but  the  titles  of  your  good  and  mighty 
God  ?  Naught  to  swell  your  impoverished  speech  but 
the  judgments  that  will  ere  long,  except  you  repent, 
crush  your  soul  in  eternal  anguish  ?  "  Habit  !  "  Does 
habit  excuse  a  thief,  a  liar,  a  debauchee  ?  Has  habit 
so  corrupted  your  heart  and  your  lips,  rendered  you  so 
familiar  with  the  dialect  of  the  blackguard,  the  drunk- 
ard, and  the  damned,  that  you  cannot  choose  but  blas- 
pheme like  a  lost  spirit  before  your  time  ?  O  surely, 
of  all  fools  that  mock  at  sin  and  at  God  who  avenges 
himself  on  the  sinner,  the  profane  swearer  is  the  silliest, 
cheapest,  maddest,  nearest  to  hell !  So  far  from  getting 
the  world  in  exchange  for  his  soul,  the  swearer  asks  for 
his  gratuitous  condemnation.  Well  has  old  Herbert 
said  :  — 

"  Lust  and  wine  plead  pleasure;  avarice,  gain ; 
But  the  cheap  swearer,  through  his  open  sluice, 
Lets  his  soul  run  for  nought." 

5.  It  is  a  very  corrupting  sin.  There  is,  perhaps,  no 
vice  that  corrupts  the  heart  more  than  profanity.  Fear 
of  God,  or  a  belief  in  his  retributive  justice,  tends  more 
than  anything  else  to  preserve  men  in  a  course  of  vir- 
tue. "  The  denunciations  of  divine  vengeance,"  says 
the  eloquent  Roscoe,  as  quoted  by  the  great  penal  jurist 
of  Louisiana,  "  when  duly  impressed  on  the  mind,  pos- 
sess a  sanction  at  Avhich  mere  human  authority  can 
never  arrive,  and  bring  with  it  that  certainty  which 
alone  and  in  all  circumstances  can  prevent  the  pei'pe- 
tration   of  crime."       This   opinion   is   corroborated   by 


Lr.cr.  XLVI.]  ON    PROFANE   SWEARING.  471 

universal  experience.  Those  who  bow  with  the  most 
sincere  reverence  before  G(kI,  are  uniformly  most 
strictly  true  in  their  dealings  with  men.  But  how  is 
this  restraint  lost  by  the  profane  swearer  !  That  very 
name,  which  should  excite  his  awe,  is  prostituted  to  a 
base  familiarity.  He  cannot  fear  God  who  does  not 
hesitate  to  sport  with  His  most  solemn  titles,  nor  can 
he  have  any  just  aj^prehension  of  a  future  punishment 
who  makes  it  a  jest  and  a  by-word.  The  floodgate  of 
all  iniquity  is  thus  raised.  I  firmly  believe  that  a  pro- 
fane man  is  not  to  be  trusted,  and  that  no  reliance  can 
rightly  be  placed  on  his  integrity,  except  so  far  as  a 
regard  for  human  laws  aud  social  opinion  may  restrain 
him.  He  can  have  no  abidino;  sense  of  virtue.  There 
is  many  a  bad  man  wdio  does  not  swear,  there  are 
many  hypocrites  in  religion  ;  but  the  profane  swearer 
avows  himself  to  be  wicked,  and  we  know  that  he  is 
without  tlie  fear  of  God  before  his  eyes ;  and,  without 
the  fear  of  God,  he  can  have  no  conscience. 

This  effect  must  be  peculiarly  great  upon  formal 
oaths  in  courts  of  justice,  or  in  the  assumption  of  office. 
"  Rash  swearing,"  says  an  old  w-riter,  "  leads  to  false 
swearing."  It  is  impossible  that  one  who  trifles  with 
the  name  of  God  upon  all  occasions  should  feel  the 
solemnity  of  an  appeal  to  him  when  the  legal  oath  is 
tendered.  Penal  statutes  against  perjury  may  restrain 
him,  but  the  sanctity  of  the  oath  will  not.  The  best 
decisions  set  aside  as  unworthy  of  belief  the  testimony 
of  those  who  do  not  understand  the  nature  of  an  oath, 
or  who  deny  a  future  state  of  rewards  and  punishments. 
But  how  much  more  credit  does  a  profone  swearer  de- 
serve ?  He  may  understand  what  an  oath  is,  but  does 
he   reverence   it  ?     He  may   believe   in   God   and   the 


472  ON   PROl-ANE   SWEARING.  [Lect.  XLVI. 

judgment,  but  his  conversation  proves  that  he  worships 
liim  not,  for  his  anger  is  with  him  a  matter  of  ordinary 
ridicule.  Is  the  oath  of  sucli  a  man  any  better  or  as 
good  as  liis  word  ? 

6.  This  is  fartlier  seen  in  the  fact  that  jjrofxneness  is 
the  ordinary  accompaniment  of  great  depravity.  Hell 
is  full  of  curses  ;  and  they  who  are  fitting  themselves  by 
other  crimes  for  the  companionship  of  devils,  prepare 
themselves  by  practice  to  join  in  the  profanity  of  their 
destined  prison-house.  The  gambler  swears  over  his 
cards  and  sweating-cloth.  The  brothel  echoes  with 
obscenity  and  profanity  in  turn  or  commingled.  The 
bar-room  rings  with  maudlin  or  frenzied  bliisphemy. 
It  is  the  last  incoherent  mutter  of  the  bloated,  house- 
less drunkard,  as  he  rolls  into  the  kennel.  The  cells  of 
a  prison  are  filled  Avith  the  curses  of  felons.  It  is  rare 
to  find  a  notorious  villain,  from  the  sneaking  pickpocket 
to  the  murderer  on  the  highway,  that  is  not  notoriously 
profane.  If  he  be  not,  it  is  because  he  is  such  an  adept 
in  crime  that  he  artfully  lays  aside  what  his  cunning 
tells  him  is  a  sign  of  guilt.  So  no  man  is  ever  profane 
without  losing,  in  some  degree,  the  respect  of  others, 
even  of  the  profane  themselves.  Although  we  may 
have  before  admired  his  demeanor,  giving  him  credit 
for  dignity  and  propriety,  the  moment  an  oath  drops 
from  his  lips,  he  sinks  in  our  regard,  —  he  loses  the  air 
of  a  Christian,  the  high  polish  of  a  gentleman,  the 
calm  truthfulness  of  a  wise  man.  This  sentiment  is 
general.  If  any  of  my  hearers  doubt  it,  let  him  ask 
himself  whether  there  is  any  profane  person  of  his 
acquaintance  .wdiom  he  truly  esteems  as  a  thoroughly 
good  man,  or  whom  he  would  not  respect  more  if  he 
were  not  profane  ?     If  he  looks  not  on  a  profane  child. 


Lect.  XLYl.]  ON   PROFANE   SWEAKING.     .  473 

as  precociously  depraved,  or  shudders  not  as  an  old  man, 
tottering  on  the  brink  of  the  grave,  perseveres  in  curs- 
ing and  swearing  ? 

7.  It  corrupts  others  besides  the  profane  person  him- 
self. President  Dwight  well  remarks  that  profanity  is 
a  social  vice.  "  A  man  seldom  swears  when  alone.'/ 
The  swearer  corrupts  his  companions,  familiarizes  them 
with  that  which  at  first  shocked  and  disgusted  them. 
He  swears  in  his  family,  his  children  imitate  his  baleful 
example,  —  the  little  one,  whom  perhaps  the  mother 
would  teach  to  pray,  has  the  paternal  sanction  for  its 
lisping  oath,  and  grows  up  nurtured  in  sin,  consigned 
by  a  parent's  murderous  tongue  to  depravity  and  ruin. 
These  in  their  turn  spread  the  contagion,  until  distant 
generations  and  far-off  lands  feel  the  coi'rupting  leaven, 
and  stain  with  the  blood  of  countless  souls  the  skirts 
of  the  blasphemer.  The  profane  swearer  is  thus  a 
moral  blight,  a  walking  pestilence,  a  reckless  madman, 
scattering,  even  among  those  he  loves  best,  arrows,  fire- 
brands, and  eternal  death.  O  swearer,  if  you  will  in- 
voke the  curse  of  the  Almighty,  step  aside  from  the 
crowd,  that  it  may  consume  you  alone  ! 

Lastly.  It  is  a  sin  against  which  God  has  declared 
his  especial  vengeance.  You  may  count  it  a  trifling 
fault ;  but  is  that  trifling  which  is  followed  by  such 
mischief?  God  is  the  Judge  by  whom  our  sins  are  to 
be  weighed  ;  and  throughout  the  Scriptures  he  declares 
himself  to  be  a  jealous  God,  especially  jealous  for  the 
honor  of  his  name.  As  the  moral  Governor  of  the 
universe,  he  is  particularly  incensed  against  a  sin  so 
corrupting,  so  calculated  to  shake  all  sense  of  his  au- 
thority, and  evincing  such  ungrateful  impietv  in  return 
for  his  goodness  and  patience  and  readiness  to  forgive. 


47-1  ON   PROFANE  SWEAKING.  [Lect.  XLVf. 

You  may  tliink  his  punishnieiit  of  a  few  idle  Avords  will 
not  be  severe.  But  he  sets  the  enormity  of  the  sin 
and  the  penalty  of  the  sinner  beyond  all  doubt  when 
he  utters  the  commandment:  "Thou  shalt  not  take 
the  name  of  the  Lord  thy  God  in  vain  ;  for  the  Lord 
will  not  hold  him  guiltless  that  taketh  his  name  in 
vain."  God  will  keep  his  word.  Awful,  therefore, 
must  be  the  punishment  of  the  j)rofane  swearer  in  the 
eternal  world,  except  he  repent.  Hell  is  certainly  his 
portion.  It  is  the  ruin  he  has  invoked,  ridiculed,  and 
defied.  He  is  fitted  by  his  character  and  habits  for  no 
other.  Heaven  is  a  place  of  holy,  reverent,  and  ador- 
ing praise  ;  hell,  the  abode  of  rebellion,  des])air,  and 
blasphemy.  Even  there,  his  punishment  will  be  fear- 
fully great.  "I  will  pour  out  my  fury,"  saith  the 
Lord,  "  upon  them  that  despise  my  statutes."  How 
terrible  the  thought  !  The  mercy  of  the  Lord  turned 
to  fury!  The  fury  of  the  Lord!  —  and,  then,  the 
bitter  reflection,  more  tormenting  than  the  fire  that  is 
not  quenched,  more  envenomed  than  the  worm  that 
never  dies,  that  it  is  the  swearer's  own  wickedness 
turned  in  fierce  retribution  upon  him  ! 

Let  me  entreat  you,  my  friend,  to  avoid  profaneness. 
It  is  easily  avoided,  yet,  easily  acquired  ;  and  when 
acquired,  with  difficulty  laid  aside.  It  is  a  virulent 
vice,  spreading  like  a  leprosy  through  the  whole  moral 
constitution  of  a  man  ;  for  you  cannot  learn  to  swear 
without  ceasing  to  pray,  without  despising  the  check  of 
conscience,  without  becoming  worse  in  every  respect ; 
since  profaneness  concentrates,  in  a  few  brief  ])hrases', 
unholy  rancor,  determined  rebellion,  and  reckless  aban- 
donment of  your  soul.  It  will  bring  you  neither  gain, 
credit,  nor  honor.     It  introduces  you  to  the  vilest  com- 


Lect.  XL VI.]  ON   PROFANE  SWEARING.  475 

panionsliip,  and  expels  you  from  the  society  of  the 
good  as  a  self-branded  Cain,  the  horror  of  all  who  fear 
God  and  practise  virtue.  It  excludes  you  from  the 
redemption  of  Christ,  drives  away  the  merciful  Holy 
Ghost,  and  is  the  fore-doom  of  eternal  perdition.  Oh, 
swear  not !  For  your  mother's  sake,  swear  not  ;  for 
your  friend's  sake,  swear  not  ;  for  society's  sake,  swear 
not ;  for  your  own  soul's  sake,  swear  not ;  for  the  sake 
of  God  who  made  you,  for  the  sake  of  Christ  who  died 
for  you,  swear  not.  It  is  easy  to  forbear,  but  oh,  how 
desperately  wicked  to  commit  such  a  sin  ! 

Have  you  been,  are  you  now,  in  the  habit  of  pro- 
faneness  ?  Oh,  lay  it  aside.  You  would  be  a  gentle- 
man, yet  even  the  loose  Chesterfield  says  a  gentleman* 
never  swears  ;  consider  how  you  wound  and  shock  the 
ears  and  hearts  of  all  religious  people,  though  they  but 
catch  the  offensive  sound  as  they  pass  you  in  the  street. 
I  ask,  as  a  favor  which  courtesy  can  readily  grant,  that 
they  may  not  hear  you  speak  lightly  of  their  best 
Friend,  their  beloved  Father,  their  venerated  Sovereign. 
But  I  plead  more  for  your  own  sake  and  the  sake  of 
those  whom  your  example  may  influence.  How  good 
and  how  patient  has  God  thus  far  been  to  you  in  not 
cutting  you  off  at  your  word  !  If  he  had  done  so, 
where  were  you  now  ?  He  may  do  it  yet.  Have  you 
not  insulted  his  forbearance  lono;  enough  ?  What  has 
He  done  to  provoke  such  insult,  so  gratuitous,  so  impu- 
dent ?  Oh,  my  friend,  it  is  mean,  it  is  dishonorable  thus 
to  treat  your  Benefactor  because  he  is  so  long-suffer- 
ing !  Are  you  bent  upon  destroying  your  soul  for  the 
sake  of  uttering  a  vile  word  ? 

Do  not  say  that  you  cannot  break  the  habit.     Your 
occasional  restraint  belies  vour  assertion.     You  would 


476  ON    PROFANE   SWEARING.  [Lect.  XLVI. 

not  swear  before  a  lady,  or  a  clei'irymnn.  A  slight 
respect  for  another  human  being's  feelings  checks  the 
oath  upon  your  lips.  Have  you  less  respect  for  God  ? 
You  would  not  swear  if  you  knew  that  God  would 
strike  you  dead  ;  why  defy  him  who  maintains  you  in 
life?  Resolve  now  that  not  one  more  oatli  shall  pass 
your  lips,  and  you  will  leave  this  sacred  place  a  truer 
gentleman,  a  better  man,  and,  I  trust,  to  become  a 
happy  Christian. 


LECTURE    XLVIL 

THE  PURPOSE  OF  THE  SABBATH. 


THIRTY-EIGHTH   LORD'S    DAY. 
THE  PURPOSE  OF  THE  SABBATH. 

"And  on  the  seventh  day  God  ended  his  work  which  he  had  made;  and 
he  rested  on  the  seventh  day  from  all  his  work  -which  he  had  made.  And 
God  blessed  the  seventh  day,  and  sanctified  it,  because  that  in  it  he  had 
rested  from  all  his  work  which  God  had  created  iind  made."  —  Genesis  ii. 
2,3. 

"Kemember  the  Sabbath  day  to  keep  it  holy;  six  days  shalt  thou  labor, 
and  do  all  thy  work;  but  the  seventh  day  is  the  Sabbath  of  the  Lord  thj- 
God:  in  it  thou  shalt  not  do  any  work,  thou,  nor  thy  son,  nor  thy  daugh- 
ter, thy  man-servant,  nor  thy  maid-servant,  nor  tliy  cattle,  nor  thy  stranger 
that  is  within  thy  gates;  for  in  six  days  the  Lord  made  heaven  and  earth, 
the  sea,  and  all  tiiat  in  them  is,  ajid  rested  the  seventh  day;  wherefore  the 
Lord  blessed  the  Sabbath  day,  and  hallowed  it."  —  Exodus  xx.  8-11. 

"  The  Sabbath  was  made  for  man,  and  not  man  for  the  Sabbath :  There- 
fore the  Son  of  man  is  Lord  also  of  the  Sabbath."  —  JMauk  ii.  27,  28. 

"  There  remaineth  therefore  a  rest  to  the  people  of  God.  For  he  that  is 
entered  into  his  rest,  he  also  hath  ceased  from  his  own  works,  as  God  did 
from  his.  Let  us  labor,  therefore,  to  enter  into  that  rest."  —  Hebkews  iv. 
9-11. 

FT  was  a  prin'cipal,  and  the  most  fatal,  error  of  the 
•*-  Jews,  at  the  time  of  our  Lord,  that  they  expected 
the  Messiah  as  a  temporal  i)rince,  whose  victorious 
prowess  would  establisli  them  in  the  secure  enjoyment 
of  more  than  their  former  worldly  advantages.  Even 
the  chosen  disciples  could  not  be  persuaded  that  their 
Master's  kingdom  was  not  of  this  world,  until  the  re- 
jected and  crucified  of  men  had  been  received  up  into 
glory  out  of  their  sight.  The  error  lay  deeper  than  in  a 
mistaken  rendering  of  prophecy  :  it  is  radical  in  fallen, 
human  nature,  which,  because  the  flesh  has  the  mastery 
over  the  spirit,   clings  to  earth   instead  of  aspiring  to 


480  THE  PURPOSE   OF   THE  SABBATH.     [Lect.  XLVII. 

heaven.  For  this  reason,  all  the  teachings  of  our  Lord 
and  his  apostles  are  after  the  pattern  of  that  great  evan- 
gelical command  with  its  promise  :  "  Seek  ye  first  the 
kingdom  of  God  and  his  righteousness,  and  all  these 
things  (those  necessary  for  this  pi'esent  life)  shall  be 
added  unto  you."  The  eternal  kingdom  of  God,  with 
that  righteousness  by  which  alone  we  can  attain  it,  is 
to  be  the  first,  the  paramount,  the  constant  object  of 
our  ])ursuit,  while  we  trust  contentedly  in  God  to  give 
us  all  of  this  world  that  he  deems  good  for  us  as  relig- 
ious pilgrims,  whose  home  and  hearts  are  above,  where 
Christ,  our  example  and  forerunner,  sits  at  the  right 
hand  of  the  Father.  But  to  vise  religion  and  its  in- 
strumental economy  fii'st  for  the  enhancement  of  our 
worldly  profit,  is  to  make  Christ  the  servant  of  our  sen- 
sual idolatries  after  the  fashion  of  those  who,  "  desti- 
tute of  the  truth,  suppose  that  gain  is  godliness."  It 
is  true,  and  we  bless  God  for  it,  that  "  godliness  is  prof- 
itable unto  all  things,  having  promise  of  the  life  that 
now  is  and  of  that  which  is  to  come  ;"  but  it  has  prom- 
ise of  the  life  that  now  is,  not  as  worldly  men  regard 
that  life,  and  only  as  those  estimate  it  whose  treasure  is 
in  heaven.  It  is  a  lying  promise  of  the  devil,  "  the 
prince  of  this  world,"  which  says:  "All  these  things 
will  I  give  thee,  if  thou  wilt  fall  down  and  worship 
me."  The  declaration  of  him  "  wdio  came  from  God 
and,"  having  "  brought  life  and  immortality  to  light 
through  the  gospel,"  "  went  to  God,"  is  :  "  In  this 
world  ye  shall  have  tribidation  ;  but  be  of  good  cheer, 
I  have  overcome  the  world." 

The  error  of  the  Jews  is  rife  among  us.  The  Chris- 
tian doctrine  of  Providence  has  taken  a  strong  hold  on 
men's  outer  convictions,  while  their  hearts  are  insensi- 


lect.  xlvii.]   the  purpose  of  the  sabbath.  481. 

ble  to  "  tlie  power  of  an  endless  life  "  ;  and  there  is 
more  than  ever  manifest  a  desire  to  serve  God  whom 
they  dread,  and  Mammon  whom  they  love,  at  the  same 
time  and  by  the  same  acts.  Even  Christians,  eager 
to  2:ain  for  reli<>ion  the  favor  of  the  world,  too  often 
employ  the  jesuistry  of  holding  forth,  as  a  bribe,  its 
worldly  benefits.  The  true  process  of  Christianity  is 
to  cut  the  root  of  human  evils  by  converting  the  sin- 
ful heart  through  the  faith  of  Christ  ;  yet  we  waste 
great  zeal  in  fertile  attempts  to  lop  off  the  branching 
vices.  The  genuine  blessings  of  Christianity  are  fruits 
of  the  Spirit ;  and  vain  are  all  efforts  to  graft  them 
upon  the  carnal  will  which  is  planted  in  the  earth. 
Mere  moral  reforms,  or  schemes  to  create  an  outward 
shape,  a  counterfeit  semblance  of  Christian  virtue, 
draw  away  no  small  share  of  our  strength  from  the 
spread  of  that  gospel  which  is  "  the  wisdom  of  God 
and  the  power  of  God  unto  salvation," — salvation  here, 
because  it  is  salvation  hereafter,  —  salvation  from  the 
power  as  well  as  from  the  punishment  of  sin.  The 
regenerating  doctrine  of  the  cross,  against  which  men 
stumble,  is  not  seldom  thrust  into  a  corner  of  the  pul- 
pit by  professed  i)reachers  of  our  religion,  while  its 
temperance,  its  social  purity,  its  political  value,  or  its 
liberating  tendencies  are  heralded,  as  though  heaven 
was  to  be  in  this  world,  and  eternity  of  less  considera- 
tion than  time,  or  our  duty  to  God  rendered  only  when 
our  wages  ai-e  in  our  hand.  The  holy  Sabbath,  God's 
own  day,  the  blessing  of  our  spiritual  nature,  the  ear- 
nest of  our  immortality,  the  type  of  eternal  satisflaction, 
has  not  escaped  this  ill-ordered  logic.  Christian  tongues 
grow  proudly  eloquent  upon  its  temporal  excellence, 
summoning  all  philosophy  to  prove  the  physical  benefits 

VOL.  II.  31 


482  THE  PURPOSE  OF  THE  SABBATH.      [Lkct.  XLVII. 

of  the  mere  rest  from  toil,  without,  and  apart  from  its 
sacredness,  as  recommendations  of  its  observance  to  the 
servant  of  the  world.  These  arguments,  very  valua- 
ble when  supplementary  and  subordinate,  have  been 
set  in  such  undue  prominence  as  to  check  our  wonder, 
when  men,  perverting  the  Scrijiture  that  "the  Sab- 
bath was  made  for  man  and  not  man  for  the  Sabbath," 
claim  its  sacred  hours  as  their  own,  in  which  they 
may  comfort  themselves  after  the  week's  labor  with 
a  day  of  idle  pleasure,  to  the  neglect  of  his  worship 
who  set  it  apart  for  that  holy  end.  Let  us,  at  this 
time,  elevate  ourselves  to  a  higher  range  of  thought, 
and  urge  the  authority  of  the  Sabbath  from  those  prin- 
ciples upon  which  it  is  founded  in  the  word  of  God. 
The  main  drift  of  our  discourse  will,  therefore,  be  to 
consider  The  Purpose  of  the  Sabbath  ;  for,  that 
being  ascertained,  it  is  easy  to  infer  how  the  Sabbath 
should  be  kept. 

The  simple  fact  that  God  has  solemnly  enjoined  upon 
us  a  devout  observance  of  the  Sabbath,  were  enough  to 
demonstrate  that  it  is  our  duty  and  our  interest,  even 
if  we  were  unable  to  discover  any  of  the  reasons  for 
which  the  Sabbath  was  ordained.  God,  our  Creator 
and  Sovereign,  has  a  supreme  right  to  direct  and  con- 
trol us  in  the  use  of  our  time  ;  as  our  kind  and  wise 
Father,  who  loves  his  human  children  iind  ])erfectly 
undeistands  our  nature,  would  give  us  no  dii-eetions  but 
such  as  must  certainly  tend  to  the  best  welfare  of  all 
who  obey  him.  The  Sabbath,  therefore,  cannot  be 
otherwise  than  a  most  just  and  beneficial  arrangement: 
just,  as  regards  our  obligations  to  God,  —  beneficial,  as 
regards  our  own  happiness. 

But  the  circumstances  in  ivJiich  God  was  pleased  to 


lect.  xlvii.]    the  purpose  of  the  sabbath.  483 

set  apart  tlie  tSahhath,  and  his  subsequent  revelations  con- 
cerning it,  greatly  enhanced  its  claims. 

I.  In  the  fourth  commandment  given  on  Sinai,  God 
speaks  of  the  Sabbath  as  already  known,  and  its  ob- 
servance as  already  most  solemnly  enjoined,  —  ^'■He- 
member  the  Sabbath  day,  to  keep  it  holy  ;  "  —  and  he 
carries  us  back  to  its  institution  on  the  seventh  day 
from  the  beginning  of  the  world.  Referring  to  the 
sacred  narrative,  we  learn  that  on  the  sixth  day,  after 
God  had  completed  the  inferior  creation,  he  made  man  ; 
"in  the  image  of  God  created  he  him  ;  male  and  female 
created  he  them ; "  and,  having  commanded  them  to 
be  "  fruitful  and  multiply,  and  replenish  the  earth,  and 
subdue  it,"  he  gave  them  dominion  over  all  his  terres- 
trial works.  "  And  God  saw  everything  that  he  had 
made,  and  behold  it  was  very  good."  .  .  .  .  "  And  on 
the  seventh  day  God  ended  his  work  which  he  had 
made ;  and  he  rested  on  the  seventh  day  from  all  his 
work  which  he  had  made.  And  God  blessed  the  sev- 
enth day  and  sanctified  it ;  because  that  in  it  he  had 
rested  from  all  his  work  which  God  created  and 
made." 

Here  we  note  several  most  important  facts  :  — 

1.  The  Sabbath  is  coeval  with  creation,  antecedent 
to  Christianity,  to  Judaism,  and  even  to  sin,  which 
required  the  salvation  promised  at  the  gate  of  Eden. 
There  were,  therefore,  reasons  for  the  Sabbath  in  the 
fundamental  relations  between  God  and  man,  and  in 
the  original,  not  merely  the  acquired,  necessities  of 
human  nature. 

2.  The  Sabbath  is  hohj.  To  hallow,  to  make  holy, 
and  to  sanctify,  are,  as  we  all  know,  synonymous  scrip- 
tural expressions,  signifying  to  set  apart  for  God.     God 


484  THE  PURPOSE  OF   THE   SABBATH.     [Lect.  XLVH. 

himself  hallowed  the  Sabbath  to  himself.  He  made  it, 
claimed  it,  sealed  it,  as  his  own.  The  primary  reason 
why  he  sanctified  it,  was  because  "  He  rested  on  the 
seventh  day  from  all  his  works."  Hence  the  command- 
ment declares  that  "  the  seventh  day  is  ilie  Sahhaih  of 
the  Lord  tliy  God,""  and,  throughout  the  Scriptures,  God 
calls  the  Sabbath  Ids  Sabbath.  The  entire  eternity  of 
God  is  holy,  and  with  him,  strictly  speaking,  there  is 
no  succession  of  time  ;  therefore  he  did  not  set  apart 
the  Sabbath  for  his  own  use.  The  life  of  the  blessed 
angels  is  a  perpetual  Sabbath  ;  therefore  the  seventh 
day  had  no  reference  to  them.  God  hallowed  it,  be- 
cause on  that  day  he  rested  from  the  creation  of  which 
he  made  man  the  delegated  head  ;  therefore  its  sancti- 
fication  was  enjoined  ui)on  man.  All  the  time  of  man 
belongs  to  God,  and  at  all  times  man  is  to  render  God 
service.  But  there  are  duties  which  man  is  to  render 
God  mediately,  —  that  is,  through  the  creatures  of  God 
with  whom  he  is  put  in  relation  by  his  Creator,  as  the 
social  and  personal  virtues  called  for  by  his  moral  cir- 
cumstances ;  and  there  are  duties  which  he  is  to  render 
God  immediately,  as  adoration,  praise,  and  worship. 
So  at  the  very  beginning  of  man's  life,  and  after  God 
had  assigned  him  his  mediate  duties,  the  Creator  hal- 
lowed  every  seventh  day  of  man's  time  as  especially, 
peculiarly,  immediately,  and  only  the  Lord's.  In  the 
six  days  he  was  to  do  all  his  work  ;  but  the  seventh  he 
was  to  set  apart  for  the  worship  of  his  Maker  and  Sov- 
ereign, in  which  he  should  commemorate  the  creation 
gratefully,  acknowledging  the  author  of  his  being,  the 
giver  of  all  good,  as  his  owner,  his  master,  and  his 
judge.  "  Hallow  my  Sabbaths,  and  they  shall  be  a 
ugn  between  me  and  you,  that  ve  may  know  that  I  am 


lect.  xlvii.]   the  purpose  of  the  sabbath.  485 

the  Lord  your  God."     The  Sabbath,  therefore,  though 
made  for  man,  is  not  man's,  but  the  Lord's. 

3.  The  Sabbath  was  blessed.      The  Sabbath,  being 
mere  time,   is  incapable  of  receiving  blessing,  and  its 
blessedness  must  mean  its  being  an  occasion  on  which, 
and  an  institution  through  whicli,  special  blessings  are 
conferred.    Thus  the  Scriptures  speak  of  "a  field  which 
the  Lord  iiath  blessed,"  signifying  that  the  Lord  had 
made  it  abundantly  fruitful.    The  Sabbath  is  the  Lord's, 
but  it  is  made  for  man,  that  in  keeping  it  aright  he  may, 
according  to  the  benevolent  purpose  and  wise  economy 
of  God,  enjoy  in  tiie  Sabbath,  on  the  Sabbath,  and  from 
the  Sabbath,  peculiarly  rich  and  abounding  blessings. . 
God  ever  dispenses  his  blessings  to  us  through  our  use 
of  appointed   means,  and   the   Sabbath   was  a    special 
means  in  his  use  of  which  man,  even  before  his  sin, 
was  blessed  of  God.     The  holy  character  of  the  Sab- 
bath, its  purpose,  and  the  manner  in  which  it  is  to  be 
kept,  distinctly  show  the  nature  of  its  blessings.     The 
seventh-day  rest  from  labor  is,  indeed,  itself  a  blessing, 
fruitful  of  countless  temporal  blessings  ;  but  these  are 
rather    contingent    and    incidental.      Abstinence  from 
labor  is  enjoined  in  order  to  the  keeping  of  the  Sabbath 
separate  for  its  peculiar  purpose,  the  worship  of  God  ; 
and    that  being  the  special  purpose  of  the  Sabbath,  its 
peculiar  blessings  spring  from  the  worship  of  God  within 
its  sacred  hours.     The  six  days  are  appointed  for  man's' 
labor  in  the  world,  connected,  it  is  true,  as  all  the  affairs 
of  this  life  are,  with   his  higher,  religious  well-being ; 
the  Sabbath  is  set  apart  for  the  culture  of  his  higher, 
religious   interests,  connected,  as   they  manifestly  are, 
with  his  best  temporal  welfare.     A  blessing  of  God  is 
upon  the  labors  of  his  true  servants  throughout  the  six 


t 
486  THE  PURPOSE  OF  THE  SABBATH.     [Lect.  XLVH. 

days ;  but  the  Sabbath  sheds  from  God  its  a])propi'iate 
blessings  on  man's  worship  of  God.  There  are  spirit- 
ual blessings  connected  with  man's  (so-called)  secular 
work,  because  that  work  is  duty  to  God  ;  but  those 
blessings  are  rather  incidental,  not  peculiar.  Tliere 
are  secular  blessings  connected  with  man's  holy  use  of 
the  Sabbath,  for  it  is  closely  related  to  his  secuhir  time  ; 
but  they  are  rather  incidental,  not  peculiar.  The  bless- 
ing on  the  week  may  overflow  into  the  Sabbath  ;  the 
blessing  on  the  Sabbath  may  overflow  into  the  week  : 
but  the  week  and  the  Sabbath  has  each  its  blessing 
proper  to  itself,  Man  is  dependent  upon  God  for  the 
supply  of  his  wants  as  a  dweller  in  this  world  ;  he  is 
dependent  upon  God  for  the  sujjply  of  his  wants  as  a 
spiritual,  religious,  and  immortal  being.  So  fu",  then, 
as  his  spiritual  are  distinguishable  from  his  })hysical  in- 
terests, his  religious  from  his  secular,  his  immortal  from 
his  temporal,  the  blessings  of  the  Sabbath  are  distin- 
guishable from  those  of  the  week.  The  one  regards 
him  as  separated  from  the.  affairs  of  this  life,  and  in 
close  communion  with  God  ;  the  other  as  still  in  com- 
munion with  God,  but  busy  amidst  the  affairs  of  this 
life.  Therefore  we  infer  that  the  Sabbath  was  made 
for  man  as  a  spiritual,  religious,  and  immortal  creature  ; 
so  the  Sabbath  has  no  promise  of  blessing  except  when 
so  used. 

Such  is  the  j)ressure  of  temporal  cares,  temptations, 
and  distractions,  that,  were  man  left  to  its  unrelieved, 
uninterrupted  force,  he  would  inevitably  become  forget- 
ful of  his  higher  welfare,  and  "  quite  lose  the  divine 
quality  of  his  first  being,"  forgetful  of  God  in  occupation 
with  God's  creatures,  forgetful  of  his  soul  in  attention 
to  his  body,  forgetful  of  eternity  in  his  anxiety  for  time. 


Lixr.  XLVII.]       THE   PURPOSE   OF   THE   SABBATH.  487 

So  God,  while  lie  insists  upon  our  constant  religion, 
has  set  apart  the  Sabbath  for  the  direct  worship  of  him- 
self, that  during  its  hallowed  rest  man  might  meditate 
upon  his  Creator  and  the  great  purposes  of  his  creation. 
The  Sabbath  is  thus  an  endowment  of  the  soul,  an 
ordinance  of  religion,  an  earnest  of  immortality.  There 
can  be,  after  the  gospel,  no  blessing  so  high  as  that  of 
the  Sabbath,  no  privilege  so  great  as  that  which  it 
affords,  no  dignity  so  noble  as  that  to  which  it  intro- 
duces us.  It  is,  therefore,  a  most  illogical  mistake,  as 
wejl  as  a  grave  sacrilege,  to  make  the  Sabbath  a  mere 
temporal  convenience,  or  to  expect  a  genuine  blessing 
from  it  when  not  used  for  spiritual  profit. 

This  consideration  is  heightened  by  the  fact,  that 
4.  The   Sabbath  was   introduced  by  the  examjjle  of 
God. 

God  needed  no  re^t,  yet  he  rested  on  the  seventh 
day.  It  was  for  man  that  he  thus  consecrated  the  Sab- 
bath by  his  divine  conduct  as  well  as  command.  God 
rested  like  man,  that  man  might  rest  like  God.  Man 
was  made  in  the  image  of  God ;  therefore,  as  he  was  a 
"  partaker  of  the  divine  nature,"  was  he  made  to  par- 
take of  the  divine  blessedness,  and  God  shared  with 
liim  his  rest.  Man  was  constituted  the  representative 
vicegerent  of  God  over  the  mundane  creation  ;  there- 
fore the  Sabbath  was  set  apart,  that  he  might  enter 
into  close  fellowship  and  council  with  God,  the  supreme 
Lord.  Man  was  God's  own  dear  child  ;  therefore  God 
on  the  Sabbath  calls  him  up  to  rest  on  his  Father's 
bosom,  to  enjoy  a  festival  in  his  Father's  house,  and  to 
receive  an  earnest,  as  the  heir,  of  his  Father's  kingdom. 
Nowhere,  except  in  God's  taking  upon  him  human 
nature,  is  there  such  an  assurance  that  man  may  be- 


488  THE  PURPOSE   OF   THE  SABBATH.     [Lkct.  XLVII. 

come  like  his  God  us  the  Sabbath.  The  rest  is, 'there- 
fore, spiritual  ;  for  "  tlie  everlasting  (iod,  tlie  Lord, 
the  Creator  of  the  ends  of  the  earth,  fainteth  not,  nei- 
ther is  weary  "  ;  his  rest  was  not  because  of  fatigue 
from  his  work  ;  neither  is  rest  from  labor  the  peculiar 
rest  of  the  Sabbath.  As  man  has  a  double  nature, — 
a  material  frame  as  well  as  a  spiritual  soul,  —  rest  may 
have  been  needful  for  his  body  even  before  his  sin,  and 
certainly  is  necessary  now  that  death  has  passed  upon 
him;  but  such  rest  is  not  the  rest  into  which  he  enters 
with  God  :  it  is,  at  the  best,  only  supplementary  and  aux- 
iliary to  the  rest  of  his  spirit.  So  it  follows  that  only 
by  a  godly  use  of  the  Sabbath,  in  imitation  of  God  and 
fellowship  with  him,  do  we  secure  its  end  and  attain 
its  blessings.  It  is  then,  and  then  only,  a  reimpression 
of  God's  likeness,  a  reconferring  of  God's  authority,  a 
reconfirmation  of  his  sonship  to  the  Father,  a  rein- 
dorsement  of  his  title  to  immortal  life. 

5.  The  Sabbath  was  laid  at  the  foundation  of  human 
morals.  God  ordained  it  in  the  very  begimiing  of 
man's  relations  and  responsibilities.  He  did  not  allow 
man  to  exist  a  whole  day,  or  to  enter  fairly  upon  his 
various  offices,  before  he  had  kept  a  Sabbath  with  his 
God  ;  so  important  to  man  did  the  Creator  and  Law- 
giver consider  that  sacred  day,  as  a  jyreparation  for  his 
discharge  of  liis  relative  duties.  The  reasons  for  this 
are  obvious. 

The  duties  of  man  to  himself,  to  his  fellows,  and  to 
the  inferior  creatures  result  from  and  are  included  by 
his  duty  to  God.  The  law  of  God  is  the  sole  rule  that 
determines,  orders,  and  appoints  the  manner  in  which 
his  virtues  are  to  be  exercised.  He  owes  no  duty  to 
the  creatures  of  God,  nor  any  allegiance  to  human  law 


lect.  xlvii.]    the  purpose  of  the  sabbath.  489 

or  authority,  except  as   such  duty  has   been    enjoined 
upon  him  by  God,  and  such   allegiance  has  been  di- 
rected by  the  divine  precepts.     An  observation  of  the 
Sabbath,  therefore,  is  appointed  as  an  acknowledgment 
that  all  his   time  belongs  to  God,  and  that  God  alone 
has  a  right  to  direct  him  in  the  use  of  his  time.     It  is 
like  the   offering  of  the  first-fruits,   in  token  that  the 
whole  harvest  belongs  to  God,  though  the  divine  pro- 
prietor graciously  permits  the  faithful  husbandman  to 
reap  its  blessings  for  himself.     The  fear  and  love  and 
knowledge    of   God    are    necessary    to    establish    and 
maintain  in  man's  heart  a  right  sense  of  his  responsi- 
bility for  all  his  conduct,  and  to  cultivate  a  kindliness 
of  spirit  and  love  of  virtue  by  a  contemplation  of  his 
divine  pattern.      He  cannot  regard  his  fellow-men  as 
his  brothers,  except  as  he  regards  God  as  his  and  their 
Father  ;   nor  can  he  be  sensible  of  the  duties  which  he 
owes  to  the  inferior  creatures,  except  as  he  considers 
them  belonging  to  God,  his  Creator  and  theirs.     He 
cannot  exercise  his  delegated  authority  aright,  except 
in  humble  conformity  to  the  example  of  the  great  Su- 
preme.    Therefore  God  has  appointed  the  Sabbath  for 
man,  in  which  he  is  commanded  to  worship  the  Creator 
and  Sovereign,  to  muse  on  the  power  and  wisdom  and 
goodness  which  have  given  him  and  all  things  being, 
to  acquaint  himself  with  the  divine  will,  and  to  study, 
with  adoring  docility,  the  character  of  God  in  the  struct- 
ure of  his  works,  the  economy  of  his  providence,  and 
the  revelations  of  his  truth.     Every  well-kept  Sabbath 
is  thus  a  fresh   return   of  man  to  God  for  instruction 
and  strength  to  discharge  his  duty  ;  and  also  a  repeated 
anticipation  of  his  rendering  an   account  at  the  gi^eat 
day  of  the  manner  in  which  he  has  discharged  his  duty. 


490  THE   PURPOSE  OF  THE   SABBATH.      [Lect.  XLVII. 

All  the  binding  force  that  religion  1ms  over  morals,  is 
thus  concentrated  and  made  immediately  applicable  in 
a  right  use  of  the  Sabbath.  Not  to  remember  the  Sab- 
bath, is  not  to  remember  God  ;  and  to  forget  G(jd,  is  to 
forget  the  obligations  of  virtue.  In  this  high  sense  has 
the  Sabbath  been  made  for  man.  As  his  happiness  is 
inseparable  from  virtue,  and  virtue  inseparable  from 
religion,  the  Sabbath,  on  which  both  are  specially  culti- 
vated, is  a  confirmation  and  security  of  man's  highest 
good.  Hence  (we  may  observe  in  passing)  experience 
has  proved  that  where  the  Sabbath  has  been  best  kept, 
sound  notions  of-  morality,  and  the  practice  of  virtue, 
personal  and  social,  have  most  prevailed,  because  there 
the  fear  and  love  of  God  are  the  paramount  motives  of 
men's  conduct.  He  only  who  remembers  the  Sabbath- 
day  to  keep  it  holy,  will  remember  to  keep  himself 
liolv ;  for  the  Sabbath  is  not  only  a  means  of  moral 
strength,  but  also  a  test  of  moral  sincerity. 

Such,  beloved  brethren,  is  the  doctrine  of  the  holy 
Sabbath,  as  taught  by  God  in  the  beginning,  when  he 
sanctified  it  for  his  own  honor,  and  blessed  it  for  the 
good  of  man. 

When  the  almighty,  all-wise,  and  all-bountiful  Crea- 
tor had  finished  his  divine  works,  and  had  crowned 
man,  the  chiefest  of  them  all,  the  head  of  our  humanity, 
with  radiations  of  his  own  glory  and  honor,  we  are  told 
his  infinite  bosom  glowed  with  especial  satisfaction  and 
delight.  What,  then,  must  have  been  the  adoring, 
admiring,  grateful  transports  of  the  holy  creature  man," 
whose  sudden  being  was  made  illustrious  with  such 
majesty  amidst  sucli  scenes  of  grandeur  and  loveliness  ! 
Perfect  as  were  his  pure  frame  and  innocent  spirit,  the 
wonders  and  occupations  crowded  into  the  first  day  of 


lkct.  xlvii.]    the  purpose  of  the  sabbath.  491 

his   existence  rendered  a  day  of  rest  welcome,  if  not 
necessary.     He  needed  its  sacred  hours  to  consider  his 
novel  and  eminent  position  ;  to  confer  with  his  Parent- 
Sovereign;  to  offer  him  solemn  homage  anrl  glad  thanks; 
to  receive  the  sympathy  of  his  Original,  of  whose  infi- 
nite wisdom  and   authority  and  love  and  will  he  was 
the  finite  image.     When,  therefore,  after  the  sleep  of  a 
night  had  composed  his  powers,  overwhelmed  though 
no^t  worn  by  excess  of  rapture,  he  woke  to  look  again 
upon  his  fair  and  magnificent  kingdom,  his  Creator's 
creation  and  his  Father's  gift,  — when  through  the  ris- 
ing  odorous  mists  of  fertile  Eden  he  saw  the  morning 
sun,  like  a  benediction  from  the  burning  throne,  shine 
streaming  down  on  forests  and  fields  and  waters,  and 
on  the   countless    tribes   of  air   and   land  and  sea,  all 
active,  fearless,  and   happy  in  their  fresh  life,  and  he 
lifted   up   his   heart  and   voice   to   the    invisible   Lord 
whom  he  loved,  —  the  sanctity  of  the  Godhead's   Pres- 
ence was  bowed  with  the  glory  of  heaven  to  enshrine 
the  unpolluted  earth.  Father  and  child  rested  in  '^the 
peace  of  God  which  passeth  all  understanding."     Then 
was  "  the  Sabbath  made  for  man  "  ;  then  did  he  "  en- 
ter into  the  joy  of  his  Lord  "  ;  then  did  he  drink  of 
the  rivers  of  the  divine  pleasures  ;  then  did  he  glow 
with  filial  satisfactions  in  the  reflecting  of  his  Father's 
crlory,  and  exult  in  the  privilege  of  ruling  all  for  his 
Father's  praise. 

But  there  shall  dawn  another  Sabbath,  a  Sabbath 
made  for  man,  far  exceeding  its  beautiful  type  in  glory, 
praise,  and  sacred  rest. 

This  leads  us  to  consider,  as  we  proposed, 
IL    The  subsequent  revelations  of  the  Divine    Word 
concerning  the  Sabbath. 


492  THE   PURPOSE  OF   THE   SABBATH.      [I^ect.  XLVU. 

If  the  Sabbath  was  necessary  for  man  innocent, 
when  his  body  was  immortal  and  his  spirit  holy,  much 
more  must  it  be  so  for  man  fallen,  since  sin  has  planted 
thorns  and  briers  in  the  ground,  cursed  for  his  sake, 
and  he  eats  his  bread  in  the  sweat  of  his  face  ;  and 
his  heart  has  become  prone  to  forget  God,  "  deceitful 
above  all  things  and  desperately  wicked ;  "  and  with  all 
the  grace  of  the  gospel  his  whole  life  is  required  to  pre- 
pare for  his  eternal  future  ?  But  God,  who  is  rich  in 
mercy,  did  not  forget  his  sinful  children,  nor  take  from 
them  the  Sabbath  blessing.  The  promise  of  salvation 
was  given  at  the  very  gate  of  Eden,  and  so  we  have 
sufficient  reason  to  believe  that  the  Sabbath  was  kept 
by  the  true  worshippers  of  God  until  the  giving  of  the 
law  by  Moses  ;  for  the  fourth  commandment  bade  them 
"  remember  the  Sabbath-day  to  keep  it  holy,"  and  for 
the  same  reason  assigned  as  at  the  beginning,  clearly 
assuming  that  its  sanctification  had  been  always  known 
and  enjoined.  That  the  Sabbath  was  known  and 
recognized  as  a  divine  institution,  is  put  beyond  doubt 
by  what  we  read  in  the  sixteenth  chapter  of  Exodus, 
22—29,  where,  after  the  giving  of  the  manna,  with  the 
command  to  gather  on  the  sixth  day  the  portion  neces- 
sary for  the  seventh,  Moses  said  :  "  .  .  .  To-morrow  is 
the  rest  of  the  holy  Sabbath  unto  the  Lord  ;  bake  that 
which  ye  will  bake  to-day,  and  seethe  that  ye  will  seethe; 
and  that  which  remaineth  over,  lay  up  for  you  to  be  Ijept 
until  the  morning.  And  they  laid  it  up  until  the  morn- 
ing, as  Moses  bade  ;  and  it  did  not  stink,  neither  was 
there  any  worm  therein.  And  Moses  ,said,  Eat  that  to- 
day ;  for  to-day  is  a  Sabbath  unto  the  Lord  :  to-day  ye 
shall  not  find  it  in  the  field.  Six  days  ye  shall  gather 
it ;   but  on  the  seventh  day,  which  is  the  Sabbath,  in  it 


lect.  xlvii.]     the  purpose  of  the  sabbath.  493 

there  shall  be  none.  And  it  came  to  pass,  that  there 
went  out  some  of  the  people  on  the  seventh  day  for  to 
gather,  and  they  found  none.  And  the  Lord  said  unto 
Moses,  How  long  refuse  ye  to  keep  my  commandments 
and  my  laws  ?  See  for  that  the  Lord  hath  given  you 
the  Sabbath,  therefore  he  giveth  you  on  the  sixth  day 
the  bread  of  two  days  ;  abide  ye  every  man  in  his 
place :  let  no  man  go  out  of  his  place  on  the  seventh 
day."  Here  the  Sabbath  is  spoken  of  as  known  to 
be  one  of  God's  commandments  and  laws,  and  that, 
because  it  was  so,  God  required  them  to  refrain  even 
from  gathering  manna,  at  the  same  time  taking  from 
them  all  temi)tation  to  disobey.  It  was  commanded 
to  the  Israelites,  not  as  a  peculiar  people  merely, 
but  as  men  and  creatures  of  God,  whose  God,  not- 
withstanding their  sins,  he  declared  himself  to  be.  It 
was  no  part  of  the  ceremonial  law,  separately  given 
afterwards  to  them  as  the  circumcised  nation  ;  but  is 
fixed  permanently  in  that  moral  code,  every  precept 
of  which  is  binding  upon  all  men,  because,  as  we  have 
seen,  the  Sabbath  lies  at  the  very  foundation  of  sound 
morals. 

Yet  it  must  be  noted,  that,  for  another  and  special 
reason,  its  observation  is  enforced  upon  the  Jewish  peo- 
ple :  "  Remember  that  thou  wast  a  servant  in  the  land 
of  Egypt,  and  that  the  Lord  thy  God  brought  tliee  out 
thence  through  a  mighty  hand  and  by  an  outstretched 
arm ;  therefore,  the  Lord  thy  God  commanded  thee  to 
keep  the  Sabbath-day  "  (Deut.  v.  15).  On  the  Sab- 
bath-day they  were  to  remember  God  their  Creator, 
because  they  were  men,  but  also  to  remember  him  as 
their  deliverer,  because  they  were  Israelites  ;  and  to 
meditate  thankfully  on  his  attributes  displayed  in  crea- 


494  THE  PURPOSE  OF   THE  SABBATH.      [Lect.  XLVTI. 

tion,  and  on  his  attributes  combined  in  tlie  mercy  that 
effected  their  transfer  from  the  wretchedness  of  Egypt 
to  the  inheritance  of  the  promised  land.  So,  tlu'ough- 
out  the  Old  Testament  it  is  declared,  tliat  by  their  sanc- 
tification  of  the  Sabbath,  as  a  covenant  sign,  they  were 
to  know  the  Lord  as  indeed  their  God ;  and  from  it,  as 
a  means,  every  blessing,  spiritual  and  temporal,  was  to 
come  upon  them. 

But,  my  brethren,  as  you  well  know,  the  covenant 
of  God  with  the  Abrahamic  nation  Avas  typical  of  his 
covenant  with  his  true  Israel,  their  deliverance  out  of 
Egypt ;  of  that  Israel's  redemption  from  sin  with  all  its 
consequences,  and  their  establishment  in  Canaan  ;  of 
the  rest  remaining  in  eternity  to  the  people  of  God. 
Therefore  do  we,  as  Christians,  keep  holy  the  Sabbath- 
day,  that  we  may  glorify  God  our  Redeemer,  medi- 
tate upon  the  greatness  of  his  gracious  power  in  accom- 
plishing the  atonement  through  which  we  live,  and 
anticipate  in  lively  hope  our  full  salvation  in  the  rest 
above. 

Nay,  we  fetch  onr  warrant  for  this  evangelical  use 
of  the  Sabbath  from  a  great  type  at  the  beginning,  for 
the  redemption  by  Christ  is  the  more  glorious  antitype 
of  creation  itself.  The  redemption  of  the  church  is 
emphatically  styled  "a  new  creation,"  and  the  believer 
"a  new  creature,"  "created  in  Christ  Jesus  unto  good 
works,"  his  new  life  breathed  into  him  by  the  Holy 
Spirit ;  and  as  man  was  made  in  "  the  likeness  of 
God,"  so  the  new  man  is  renewed  in  "knowledge," 
"  rightoousness  and  true  holiness  after  the  image  of  him 
that  created  him."  The  first  Adam  was  the  head  of 
his  race,  and  was  owned  as  the  Son  of  God.  So  is  the 
Immanuel  constituted  the  Head  of  his  church,  the  sec- 


lect.  xlvii.]    the  purpose  of  the  sabbath.  495 

ond  Adam  of  a  spiritual  seed,  all  of  whom  by  him  are 
children  of  God.  Adam  was  made  lord  over  earth, 
so  the  second  Adam  is  "  head  over  all  things  to  his 
churcli,"  and  his  people  are  all  "  kings  vmto  God,"  for 
they  are  of  the  seed-royal.  The  very  name  of  man's 
original  happy  dwelling-place  is  given  to  that  home  of 
delight  where  the  church  shall  be  complete  in  bliss 
eternal,  for  Paradise  is  the  exact  translation  of  Eden, 
the  garden  of  the  Lord ;  and  thither  has  the  second 
Adam,  our  Forerunner,  our  Elder  Brother,  for  us  en- 
tered^ and  sits  crowned  with  glory  and  honor,  the  rep- 
resentative of  man  again  made  perfect.  Therefore  we 
keep  the  Christian  Sabbath,  and,  according  to  apostoli- 
cal example,  on  the  first  day  of  the  week,  because  that 
was  the  first  day  after  the  new  creation  by  the  finished 
atonement  of  Jesus  Christ  on  the  cross,  —  the  day  on 
which  he  rested,  and  blessed  his  people,  after  all  his 
work,  as  the  Redeemer.  This  involves  no  change  of 
the  Sabbath's  nature:  it  is  still  a  seventh  day,  —  a  day 
holy  to  the  Lord,  —  a  day  of  rest ;  but  it  adds  to  the 
motive  of  honoring  God  the  Creator,  the  one  still 
higher  and  more  precious  to  the  Christian,  of  honoring 
God  the  Saviour,  and  to  the  commemoration  of  God's 
work  in  the  beginning,  the  anticipation  of  his  final 
glory  in  the  perfectness  of  his  churcli  on  high.  We 
are  justified  in  the  change,  for  God  the  Creator  hath 
given  all  power  in  heaven  and  earth  to  God  incarnate, 
as  tlie  Saviour,  "  The  Son  of  man  is  Lord  of  the 
Sabbath-day,"  and  the  first  day  of  the  week  is  the 
Lord's  day,  in  which  we  honor  the  Son  even  as  we 
honor  the  Father.  Thus,  my  brethren,  the  voice  of 
God  our  Creator  speaks  to  us  from  the  beginning  of 
human   existence,  commanding  us  to  hallow  the  Sab- 


496  THE  PUIiPOSE  OF  THE   SABBATH.     [Lect.  XLVH. 

bath  for  his  glory  and  our  own  good  ;  and  God  the 
Saviour,  standing  beside  his  broken  tond),  repeats  tlie 
injunction,  witli  all  tiie  arguments  of  his  devoted  love. 
He,  who  on  the  first  Sabbath  blessed  man  by  admitting 
him  to  communion  with  himself,  on  the  (hiv  after  the 
second  creation  came  into  the  midst  of  his  chosen,  say- 
ing, "  Peace  be  unto  you,"  and  "  breathed  upon  them 
the  Holy  Ghost."  All  the  mighty  wonders  of  the 
past,  all  the  greater  wonders  of  the  eternal  future, 
crowd  around  the  sacred  day.  It  is  beautiful  with  the 
light  that  shone  on  happy  Eden,  illustrious  with  the 
glory  of  rejoicing  heaven.  As  its  fresh  morning  breaks 
upon  our  souls,  we  seem  to  hear  the  morning  stars  sing- 
ing together,  and  all  the  sons  of  God  shouting  for  joy  ; 
then,  mingling  with  their  chorus,  "  like  the  voice  of 
many  waters,"  the  hallelujahs  of  the  church  of  the 
first-born  around  "  the  throne  of  the  Lamb  that  was 
slain."  The  primal  Sabbath  bowed  heaven  down  to 
earth  ;  the  Christian  Sabbath  lifts  earth  up  to  heaven. 
The  first  Sabbath  crowned  the  blessings  of  creation  ; 
the  second  Sabbath  crowns  the  blessings  of  redemption. 
The  original  Sabbath  reminded  man  of  his  creation  ; 
ours  assures  him  that  he  is  immortal.  The  one  called 
innocent  man  from  his  pleasant  work  to  the  higher 
delight  of  communion  with  God  his  Maker  ;  the  other 
offers  us,  in  our  sinful  weakness,  a  refuge  from  the  toils 
of  a  temj)tiug  world,  that  we  may,  while  yet  on  earth, 
anticij)ate  eternal  rest  above  in  communion  with  God 
our  Saviour.  How  foully,  then,  do  we  })rofane  the 
divine  ordinance,  how  completely  pervert  it  from  its 
holy  purpose,  when  we  abuse  the  privilege  of  its  re- 
lease from  secular  cares  into  a  license  for  ungodly  idle- 
ness I 


lect.  xlvil]   the  purpose  of  the  sabbath.  497 

There  is  another  idea  belonging  to  the  Sabbath, 
taught  in  the  last  of  the  texts  which  we  chose  for  the 
scriptural  foundation  of  our  argument.  "  There  re- 
maineth,  therefore,  a  rest  to  the  people  of  God.  For 
he  that  is  entered  into  his  rest,  hath  ceased  from  his 
own  works  as  God  did  from  his.  Let  us  labor,  there- 
fore, to  enter  into  that  rest."  Here  is  an  assurance, 
drawn  from  the  previous  argument  of  the  inspired 
writer,  that  the  people  of  God  shall  have  an  eternal 
rest.  Then  the  character  of  that  rest  is  given,  inas- 
much as  the  peo])le  of  God  rest  from  their  works  as 
God  did  from  his.  And  a  practical  inference  is  stated 
in  the  form  of  an  exhortation  that  we  should  labor  in 
order  to  attain  the  eternal  rest. 

Man,  at  the  first,  was  created  a  child  of  God  in  his 
own  right,  and  had  he  been  faithful  to  the  covenant, 
which  made  a  continuance  of  the  divine  favor  contin- 
gent ui)on  his  obedience,  all  his  posterity  would  have 
been  the  people  of  God.  Formed  as  a  finite  likeness 
of  the  infinite  God,  the  employment  assigned  him  was 
as  much  like  that  of  God  as  a  creature's  could  resem- 
ble the  Creator's.  He  could  originate  nothing  :  that  is 
the  prerogative  of  the  Supreme  ;  but  he  could  employ 
the  creatures  of  God,  inferior  to  himself,  for  the  same 
end  as  that  for  which  God  had  made  them,  the  Cre- 
ator's glory  ;  therefore  did  he  receive  from  God  a  vice- 
regal authority  and  control  over  all  the  inferior  creation. 
"  Thou  hast  put,"  saith  the  Psalmist,  "  all  things  under 
his  feet."  Hence,  as  God  rested  from  his  works  as  the 
Creator,  it  was  necessary  to  carry  out  man's  resem- 
blance of  God,  that  he  also  should  have  a  rest  from  his 
peculiar  works.  Therefore  was  the  Sabbath  appointed 
that  he  might  rest  with  God,  and  only  in  proportion, 
VOL.  11.  .32 


498  THE   PURPOSE  OF  THE  SABBATH,     [Lect.  XLVIl. 

but  certainly  in  proportion  as  his  works  resembled  in 
holy  zeal  and  purpose  the  works  of  God,  was  he  pre- 
pared for  sympathy  with  the  rest  of  God. 

Man  fell,  and  with  all  his  posterity  lost  the  divine 
image ;  and  no  more  are  we,  by  our  own  natural  right, 
the  people  of  God,  nor  are  we  entitled  to  the  Sabbath- 
rest,  or  fitted  for  its  enjoyment,  since  the  original  sym- 
pathy bet.ween  God  and  man  is  destroyed. 

The  mercy  of  God  in  the  redemption  has  repaired 
for  all  believers  the  breach  of  the  apostasy.  Regen- 
erated man  again  resembles  God  as  to  his  nature,  em- 
ployment, and  rest.  He  takes  the  same  place  in  the 
new  creation  as  that  which  he  held  and  lost  in  the 
first ;  but  so  much  more  gloriously  and  securely  as  the 
second  creation  excels  the  former.  The  second  cove- 
nant (commonly  called  the  covenant  of  grace)  is,  in 
effect,  a  continuance  of  the  first  covenant  (commonly 
called  the  covenant  of  works),  for  life  is  still  given  on 
condition  of  obedience.  The  Son  of  God,  made  flesh 
for  the  performance  of  human  duties  and  the  endurance 
of  human  suffering,  comes,  according  to  divine  appoint- 
ment, as  the  second  Adam,  in  the  station  vacated  by  the 
first.  The  covenant  is  renewed  with  him,  acting  on 
behalf  of  believers,  who  are  called  by  the  prophet 
Isaiah  "  his  seed."  The  reward  of  the  first  covenant 
was  of  mere  man's  obedience,  therefore  finite,  and,  for 
the  same  reason,  perishable  ;  but  the  new  life  under  the 
gospel  is  the  reward  of  Christ,  the  Immanuel's  infi- 
nitely meritorious  righteousness,  therefore  is  it  incom- 
parably glorious  and  infallibly  eternal.  Earth  is  too 
narrow,  time  too  short,  to  contain  it  ;  therefore  is  its 
scene  transferred  to  an  everlasting  heaven.  So,  also,  is 
the  image  of  God  renewed  immortally  and  far  more 


Lect.  XLVII.]      THE  PURPOSE  OF  THE   SABBATH.  499 

illustriouslj  in  the  believer's  soul,  because  he  derives  it 
from  his  personal  union  to  the  only-begotten  Son  of 
God,  his  Elder  Brother,  and  it  is  perpetually  main- 
tained by  the  ever-living  Spirit  of  God  dwelling  in 
him.  Thus  are  all  believers  united  and  owned  and 
blessed  in  Christ  as  the  people  of  God  ;  and  eventually 
the  whole  church  will  be  glorified  with  Christ  in  God, 
throughout  the  rest  eternal. 

But  the  new  creation,  like  the  first,  is  gradual,  not 
instantaneous.  It  is,  for  wise  reasons,  (some  of  which 
are  known  and  might  be  given  had  we  the  time,)  pro- 
gressive, both  as  respects  the  individual  believer  and 
the  church.  This  creation  Christ,  on  the  part  of  God, 
being  the  representative  of  the  Godhead,  is  carrying  on 
by  his  almighty  power  ;  and,  on  the  part  of  his  church, 
being  the  representative  of  his  people,  by  his  delegated 
authority  as  the  second  Adam,  "  under  whose  feet  are 
put  all  things."  Again  ;  in  Christ,  according  to  the 
true  sense  of  his  scriptural  title,  "  the  First-born  of 
every  creature,"  is  regenerated  man  made  heir  and  lord 
of  all  things,  which  he  is  bound  to  use  for  the  glory  of 
the  Creator.  He  takes  the  same  place  in  the  new 
creation  that  he  held  in  the  first.  God,  by  Christ, 
employs  his  instrumentality  for  the  furtherance  of  his 
grand  purpose.  God  put  man  in  Eden,  to  keep  it  and 
to  dress  it ;  but  he  assigns  to  the  Christian  a  far  more 
noble  and  ennobling  employment.  By  our  prayers, 
our  obedience,  our  example,  and  our  zeal,  he  conde- 
scends to  convert  sinners  and  edify  believers  in  their 
sanctifying  faith.  The  Christian  is  a  worker  together 
with  God.  "  God  w^orketh  in  him  both  to  Avill  and  to 
do,  of  his  good  pleasure."  The  new"  creation  is  yet 
going   on.      Soon    it    will    be    accomplished,   and    the 


500  THE  PURPOSE  OF   THE  SABBATH.     [Lect.  XLVH. 

almighty  Saviour  rest  from  his  work.  Jesus  finislied 
his  personal  work  on  earth,  and  entered  into  his  rest 
as  the  Forerunner  of  his  people.  Each  believer,  as  he 
finishes  his  work  on  earth,  follows  his  Master  and  rests 
from  his  labors  as  Christ  did  from  his.  But  though 
the  work  of  Christ  to  be  accomplished  on  earth  was 
finished  in  his  death,  his  providential  work,  a  great 
part  of  which  he  performs  by  the  agency  of  his  people, 
will  not  be  perfected  until  the  church  be  complete  in 
glory.  Until  then,  the  church  must  labor.  When  it 
is  accomplished,  Christ  and  his  people  will  rest  together. 
God  shall  again  behold  all  that  it  is  very  good,  and 
that  Sabbath  dawn  whose  sun  shall  no  more  go  down. 
Then  shall  they  who  have  shared  in  the  work,  share  in 
the  joy  of  their  Lord.  As  he  beholds  with  infinite 
complacency  the  results  of  his  efficient  grace,  "  the 
mighty  working  by  which  he  is  now  subduing  all 
things  to  himself,"  they  shall  sympathize  with  his  satis- 
faction as  the  honored  instruments  of  his  power.  The 
triumphs  of  the  Redeemer  will  be  their  triumphs,  and, 
while  they  give  him  all  the  glory,  they  will  share  his 
reward.  Every  good  act  done,  every  good  word 
spoken,  every  good  purpose  cherished  and  prayed  for, 
every  sinner  they  have  brought  to  Christ,  every  Chris- 
tian they  have  assisted  on  his  way  to  heaven,  will 
give  them  a  deeper  fellowship  with  him  who  shall  have 
redeemed  all,  converted  all,  sanctified  all,  and  glorified 
all.  As  the  divine  Father  looks  over  heaven  filled  with 
immortal  trophies  of  his  mercy,  and  the  divine  Son 
"  sees  of  the  travail  of  his  soul  and  is  satisfied,"  and 
the  divine  Spirit  sheds  light  and  peace  and  love  through 
all  the  spirits  he  has  made  perfect,  the  faithful  Christian 
shall  drink  abundantly  of  the  rivers  of  the  divine  pleas- 


Leot.  xlvii.]    the  purpose  of  the  sabbath.  501 

ure,  for  "  he  sliall  rest  from  his  own  works  as  God 
cloth  from  his."  What  an  argument  and  encour- 
agement for  us  to  labor  that  we  may  enter  into  tliat 
rest  in  wliich  the  ungodly  and  the  slothful  can  have  no 
part. 

The  Sabbaths  of  the  church  on  earth  are  so  many 
successive  stations,  from  whose  Pisgah-like  eminences 
we  may  look  back  on  the  work  we  have  done,  and  for- 
ward to  the  reward  of  glory  promised.  Only  as  we 
are  fliithful  fellow-workers  with  Christ  can  we  enter 
into  the  eternal  rest  of  heaven  ;  so,  only  as  we  work 
for  Christ,  are  we  prepared  and  entitled  to  enjoy  the 
rest  of  the  Sabbath.  The  rest  of  heaven  is  holy  in 
communion  with  God ;  so  only  may  we  keep  the  Sab- 
bath on  earth.  The  Sabbath  now,  "  having,"  like  the 
old  law,  "  a  shadow  of  -good  things  to  come,"  is  not  a 
perfect  rest,  because  it  is  but  a  day,  and,  being  followed 
by  a  secular  week,  must  be  used  as  a  preparation  for 
work  before  us :  the  rest  of  heaven  is  complete ;  its 
"  sun  shall  no  more  go  down  "  ;  the  people  of  God 
shall  no  more  go  out  into  temptation  and  toil ;  they  rest 
from  all  their  labors,  and  their  faithful  works  do  follow 
them. 

Thus  we  have  the  clear  and  consonant  testimony  of 
all  Scripture  to  the  divine  purpose  of  the  Sabbath,  — 
that  it  is  a  pui-ely  religious  ordinance,  for  the  glory  of 
God  in  the  adoring  worship  of  man,  and  for  the  spirit- 
ual benefit  of  man,  in  its  sanctifying  power  over  his  life 
on  earth,  and,  therefore,  his  preparation  to  enter  an 
immortal  blessedness  beyond  the  grave. 

From  the  whole  subject  a  multitude  of  important 
practical  inferences  might  be  drawn.  We  have  time 
but  for  a  few  of  the  most  comprehensive. 


502  THE  PUKPOSE  OF   THE   SABBATH.     [Lect.  XLVII. 

First  :  Caution  in  arguing  the  value  of  the  Sabbath 
from  its  mere  temporal  benefits. 

As  a  rest  from  toil,  a  day  on  which  the  weary  bearer 
may  lay  aside  the  burden  from  his  aching  shoulders ; 
the  laborer  look  up,  wash  from  his  face  the  dusty  sweat, 
and  stand  erect  the  equal  of  his  master  by  the  procla- 
mation of  God ;  and  even  the  patient  beasts,  that  all 
the  week  have  slaved  for  man's  convenience  or  luxury, 
may  be  free  from  the  yoke ;  as  a  glad  festival,  during 
whose  emancipated  hours  the  thought  of  work  is  an 
injury  and  a  profanation,  the  Sabbath  is  beautiful. 
The  ingenuity  of  man  has  discovered  nothing  so  beau- 
tiful. Neither  may  we  doubt  that  its  periodical  repose, 
when  legitimately  accepted,  especially  with  the  clean- 
liness it  suggests,  is  necessary  for  the  repair  of  animal 
energy  and  mental  vigor ;  or  that  work  on  the  Sabbath 
is  in  the  main  not  only  a  hindrance  but  a  loss.  It  is 
the  poor  man's  property,  the  rich  man's  benefit,  the 
dumb  brute's  right,  and  a  luxury  for  all ;  a  golden  link 
brifrhtenino-  at  brief  intervals  the  chain  of  our  iron 
days,  the  happy  memento  of  the  primal  age  when  no 
curse  had  blighted  our  earth's  spontaneous  fertility. 
Yet  should  we  never,  even  by  implication,  allow  the 
thought  already  too  common,  that  the  Sabbath,  though 
made  for  man,  is  not  the  Lord's  but  man's  to  dispose 
of  as  he  lists  ;  a  convenience  granted,  which  he  may  use 
or  not,  as  he  chooses,  instead  of  an  ordinance,  the  sanc- 
tion of  which  he  is  bound  to  obey ;  a  prescribed  grace 
to  his  soul  rather  than  to  his  body,  and  to  his  body  as 
the  unconscious  servant  of  his  spirit.  By  such  a  line 
of  argument  we  move  the  question  of  its  observance 
from  under  divine  authority,  and  make  it  one  of  indus- 
trial economies,  wliich  outwork  themselves  most  health- 


Lect.  XL VII.]    THE  PURPOSE  OF   THE  SABBATH.  503 

fully  when  least  constrained  by  artificial  rules,  or  tliose 
not  imposed  upon  them  unalterably  by  the  Author  of 
providence. 

Besides,  the  absence  of  necessity  for  work,  mere  leis- 
ure, simple  idleness,  so  far  from  being  by  itself,  even 
rarely,  a  blessing,  is  rather,  as  all  experience  shows,  a 
provocation  to  sensual  indulgence  and  wasteful  crime, 
especially  among  the  ignorant  and  toil  worn,  who  have 
few  luxuries  within  their  reach,  and  less  o])portunity  to 
enjoy  them.  We  cannot  be  awake  and  be  wholly  in- 
active. Our  compound  nature  is  never  safe,  except 
when  moral  knowledge  and  moral  principle  strengthen 
the  spirit  to  master  the  flesh.  This  is  the  great  virtue 
of  the  Sabbath.  Because  on  that  day,  and  that  day 
alone,  the  schools  of  religion  and  morality  are  open  to 
all,  and  all  have  leisure  to  attend  them,  the  Sabbath  is 
a  blessing  to  a  truly  Christian  people.  When  it  is  not 
so  observed,  it  becomes  a  curse,  especially  for  those 
who  need  its  physical  rest  the  most.  There  has  been 
much  finely  said  by  superficial,  though  well-meaning 
philanthropists,  and  even  some  excellent  Christians,  as 
to  the  unmercifulness  of  shutting  up  the  hard-worked 
poor,  particularly  of  crowded  cities,  within  the  walls  of 
churches  or  their  own  homes  on  the  day  of  rest,  when 
they  should  be  free  to  walk  abroad,  or  avail  themselves 
of  steamboat  and  railroad  that  they  may  enjoy  the  fresh 
works  of  God,  or  wile  away  the  pleasant  hours  with 
innocent  pastimes.  But,  saying  little  of  the  injustice 
to  the  many  who  are  made,  by  such  practices,  greater 
slaves  on  the  Sabbath  than  on  any  other  day  for  the 
convenience  of  the  rest,  we  are  clear  in  believing  that 
the  Sabbath-keeping,  church-going  poor  have  the  best 
enjoyment  of  its  sacred  hours,  and  go  freshest,  cheer- 


504  THE  PURPOSE  OF  THE  SABBATH.     [Lect.  XLVII. 

fullest,  happiest  to  their  work  on  the  Monday  morning. 
Tliat  keenly  satirical  moralist,  Hogarth,  has  well  set 
this  forth  in  his  contrasted  pictures  of  Sunday  Morning 
and  Sunday  Evening,  where  the  reeling  father,  the 
flushed,  bedraggled  wife,  and  the  tired,  blubbered  child, 
who  had  gone  out  together  for  a  day's  pleasure,  tell  the 
miserable  stoiy  of  a  broken  Sabbath.  What  must  be 
their  Monday  morning,  with  its  empty  purse,  its  aching 
heads,  and  surly  remorse !  A  poor  Christian  family 
has  spent  the  day  in  thankful  peace  ;  gone  in  their  clean, 
though  humble  raiment  to  the  house  of  God,  joined  in 
the  sacred  harmony,  —  to  them  a  richer  treat  than  the 
most  artistic  concert  to  our  fastidious  ears,  —  listened 
to  the  elevating  gospel,  emphatically  theirs,  because 
preached  first  to  them  by  the  carpenter  of  Nazareth, 
and,  after  the  sanctity  of  household  devotion,  laid  them- 
selves down  to  unfevered  sleep.  They  shall  awake  in 
the  morning  rested  and  strong,  vigorous  from  a  sense 
of  duty,  cheered  by  divine  sympathy,  and  reconciled  to 
all  life's  trying  urgencies  by  the  hope  of  a  Sabbath  sin- 
less and  eternal.  If  the  laborer  must  have  a  holiday, 
—  and  I,  for  one,  would  be  far  from  refusing  it,  —  let 
him  take  it  from  the  six  ;  but  oh  !  encourage  him  not 
to  trample  upon  the  Sabbath,  the  memorial  of  Eden, 
the  prelibation  of  Heaven  !  Press,  also,  close  upon  the 
consciences  of  those  who  force  or  bribe  their  fellow-ser- 
vants to  toil  during  the  sacred  rest,  not  only  their  cruel 
robbery  of  the  poor  man's  right,  scanty  enough  at  the 
best,  but  still  more  earnestly  their  wrong  of  society  in 
depriving  him  of  moral  culture,  their  outrage  upon  his 
heart  in  shutting  up  his  access  to  God,  and  their  mur- 
der of  his  soul  in  tempting  him  to  sin,  and  the  neglect 
of  the  best  means  for  attaining  everlasting  rest. 


Lect.  XLVII.]    THE  PURPOSE  OF  THE  SABBATH.  505 

Secondly  :  Reliance  wpon  the  truth  and  Spirit  of 
Grod  only,  for  the  vindication  and  enforcement  of  this 
ordinance  of  God. 

The  Son  of  man  is  Lord  of  the  Sabbatli  ;  but  his 
kingdom  is  not  of  this  world.  Every  bond  by  which, 
in  our  impatience,  we  would  unite  religion  to  secular 
power,  is  hurtful.  The  world  will  use  the  church  for 
its  own  purposes,  but  never  keep  its  part  of  the  unjusti- 
fiable covenant.  Something  may  seem  to  be  due  us  on 
the  score  of  protection  in  our  rights  as  Christian  citi- 
zens, but. Christians  should  be  chary  of  enforcing  their 
rights.  We  are  the  few  among  the  many  ;  and  the 
time-servers  who  deprecated  our  favor  before  we  drew 
out  our  line  of  battle,  will  laugh  us  to  scorn  when  they 
see  our  weakness.  Our  moral  influence,  by  the  bless- 
ing of  God  upon  the  authorized  means,  is  great,  but  the 
moment  we  fight  with  carnal  weapons  we  shall  be  put 
to  the  worst.  The  devil  and  his  allies  are  impregnable 
on  his  own  ground ;  we  can  destroy  his  defences  only 
from  the  superior  heights  of  truth  and  love. 

The  Sabbath,  with  its  ordinances,  has  by  divine  grace 
the  inherent  power  to  establish  itself.  By  its  moral 
teachings,  its  faithful  warnings,  and  hope- inspiring 
promises  drawn  from  the  almighty  word  of  God,  it  can 
draw  men  to  worship  around  the  cross  which  it  uplifts, 
when  force  can  make  but  reluctant  hypocrites  or  pi'o- 
fane  idlers.  The  gospel,  the  pure  gospel,  the  gospel  in 
its  light  and  love,  is  "  the  wisdom  of  God  and  the  power 
of  God  unto  salvation."  Give  the  gospel  to  the  Sab- 
bath, and  the  gospel  will  save  the  Sabbath.  We  lose 
time,  we  waste  energy,  and  corrupt  our  faith,  when  we 
attempt  to  accomplish  religious  good  by  any  other 
method. 


506  THE  PURPOSE  OF  TfHE  SABBATH.      [Lect.  XLVII. 

Thirdly  :  Wise  diligence  in  setting  a  proper  example 
of  honor  to  the  Sahhath-dag. 

Our  faitliful  manifestation  of  regard  for  its  holy  pur- 
poses and  edifying  privileges  will  do  more  than  mere 
words  to  compel  for  it  the  respect  of  our  fellow-men. 
It  is  the  example  of  Christians  which  is  their  light  in 
the  world,  the  leaven  which,  by  the  grace  of  God,  is  to 
leaven  the  whole  mass.  But  let  it  be  a  proper  exam- 
ple of  the  Sabbath, — proper  to  its  character,  its  com- 
memorations, and  its  revelations  of  hope.  It  is  the  day 
which  the  Lord  hath  made,  that  we  may  rejoice  and  be 
glad  in  it.  It  is  essentially  a  festival.  Even  on  a  fast- 
day,  God,  by  his  prophet,  forbids  us  to  hang  down  our 
head,  like  a  bulrush,  and  by  his  Son  commands  us  to 
wash  our  face  and  anoint  our  head :  how  much  more 
on  the  Sabbath-day  ?  As  men  are  unnecessarily  preju- 
diced against  the  gospel  by  a  self-righteous  asceticism, 
the  very  opposite  of  evangelical  liberty,  so  are  they 
repelled  from  the  Sabbath  by  a  pragmatical  gloom  and 
severity.  Be  it  our  care  to  show  men  that  we  hold  the 
Sabbath  to  be  "  a  delight "  ;  and  that  when  the  Lord 
lifts  upon  us,  with  its  sacred  morning,  "  the  light  of  his 
countenance,"  "  there  is  gladness  in  our  hearts  more 
than  "  in  theirs  "  when  their  corn  and  their  wine 
abound."  It  is  the  day  of  communion  with  God,  when 
heaven  is  opened  that  we  may  see  Jesus  at  the  right 
hand  of  his  Father ;  therefore  should  ovu' -faces  shine  as 
those  of  happy  angels.  It  is  the  day  on  which  the 
grace  of  the  Spirit  flows  down  from  the  head  of  our 
High  Priest  over  all  his  church  ;  therefore  should  all 
her  garments  be  fragrant  with  the  name  of  Jesus.  It 
is  the  foretaste  of  eternal  joy  ;  therefore  should  we  look 
up,  the  happiest  of  the  happy. 


INDEX. 


PAGE 

AccouNTAmLiTY  of  man,  i 74 

Adam's  breach  of  the  Covenant 68 

first  Siibbath  in  Eden,  ii 491 

Administrator,  the,  of  Baptism 226 

of  the  Sacrament 284 

Adoption,  doctrine  of,  i 229 

Advantages  to  us  of  our  Lord's  ascension 460 

Advocacy  of  Christ 461 

Aim  of  idolatry,  ii 456 

Ancient  civilization  from  the  East 448 

Theistic  philosophers 430 

Antiquity  of  the  belief  in  a  goldeniage , 449 

Apostles  ordained  to  testify  to  our  Lord's  resurrection,  i 430 

Apostolical  succession,  ii .349,  352 

Aquinas,  Thomas,  quoted,  i 360,  396 

Ascension  of  Christ 453 

Association  of  Christ  with  the  Father  in  the  exercise  of  all  power. . . .  474 

Assurance 24 

Atbanasius  on  the  two  tables  of  the  law,  ii 413 

Attacks  on  the  Heidelberg  Catechism  successfull}'  defeated,  i 9 

Augustine,  St.,  on  the  Creed 179 

on  Infant  Baptism,  ii 247 

Author  of  forgiveness 86 

Author's,  the,  reasons  for  writing  these  Lectures,  i 3 

Authority,  the,  of  Baptism,  ii 205 

of  Christ,  delegated,  i 474 

to  judge,  derived  from  his  royal  dignity 484 

Baptism,  its  design,  ii 207 

a  sign,  210;  a  seal,  216;  and  a  profession 217 

not  regeneration 218 

mode  of  administration 225 

act  official,  not  personal 227 

circumstances  of 227 

subjects  fit  for 243 

signing  with  the  cross 228 

the  formula 228 


508  INDEX. 

PAGE 

Baptism,  manner  of  applying  the  water,  ii 229 

at  the  Pentecost 230 

infant 245 

reasons  why  infants  of  believers  should  be  baptized 251 

Baptists  originally  called  Anabaptists 247 

Baptize  and  baptism,  meaning  of  the  original  words  rendered 229 

Being  and  unity  of  God,  i 177 

Benefits  Christians  receive  from  Christ's  death 387 

from  Christ's  resurrection 437 

Blood  necessary  to  an  expiatorj-  sacrifice,  ii 342 

Bread,  not  wafers,  essential  to  the  Sacrament 270 

Catechism,  Heidelberg,  origin  of  the,  i 4 

history  of  the 4 

Vander  Kemp's  opinion  of  the 4 

object  of  the,  as  set  forth  by  the  Elector  Frederic  III.  in 

his  preface  to  the  first  edition 6 

system  of  the,  ascribed  to  Ursinus 7 

sj'nod  assembled  at  Heidelberg,  1562,  to  examine  the  ....  7 

valuable  old  edition  of  the,  yet  published  at  Neustadt. ...  9 

symbolical  book  of  the  Reformed  Dutch  Church 10 

numerous   editions   of   the,   in   all    ancient   and   modem 

tongues 10 

prepared  for  professing  Christians.  . . . .' 11 

Caution  against  skeptical  notion 66 

against  arguing  the  value  of  the  Sabbath  from  its  temporal 

benefits,  ii 502 

Certainty  that  God's  sentences  will  be  executed,  i 93 

Christ,  the  title 289 

significant  of  appointment  by  God 148 

why  Jesus  is  called 290 

etymology  of  the  word 290 

our  High  Priest 299 

universal  dominion  given  to 302 

Governor  of  all  things 480 

Sonship  and  government  of. 315 

head  of  the  Church 478 

why  called  the  only-begotten  Son  of  God 316 

why  called  our  Lord 323 

'truly  man  in  body,  335;  in  soul 337 

the  history  of,  shows  the  truth  of  his  humanity 338 

truly  God" 339 

God  and  man  in  one  person 340 

reasons  for  the  incarnation  of 343 

honor  of  the  divine  law  secured  bv,  i.  108;  ii 158 


INDEX.  509 

PAGE 

Christ,  maintenance  of  divine  authoritj^  secured  by,  i ]09 

reformation  of  tlie  pardoned  sinner  secured  by 109 

condemned  by  a  temporal  judge 304 

on  the  throne  as  ruler  and  judge 471 

Christ's  kingdom  lias  two  parts ,   303 

lordship,  the  source  of 325 

the  object  of,  326 ;  the  right  of 327 

suffering  and  cross,  i 353 

'        the  purpose  of,  the  sufferings  of 354 

the  cause  of 356 

the  duration  of 361 

death  and  burial 375 

burial 380 

sepulchre 382 

dominion  vast  in  extent 474 

glory  preeminent 475 

Christian  discipline,  ii 360 

tlie,  belongs  to  Christ,  i 17 

is  bought  by  Christ 18 

the,  is  Christ's  by  his  own  vow 19 

Christian's  comfort 13 

duty  to  be  happy 14 

Christians  dependent  on  one  another,  ii 76 

Chrysostom  on  infant  baptism 247 

Church,  meaning  of  the  word 58 

holy 61 

catholic 63 

Church  government,  three  kinds  of 69 

jurisdiction  restricted  to  matters  purely  spiritual 358 

what  is  meant  by  the,  in  Matt,  xviii.  15-20   355 

Comfort,  the  only,  of  believers,  1 12 

obtained  from  the  judgeship  of  Christ 485 

from  his  exaltation 485 

Communion  of  saints,  ii 70 

duties  consequent  upon 73 

service  of  the  Reformed  Dutch  Church 276 

Connection  of  the  Sabbath  with  the  resurrection  of  the  Lord  of  the 

Sabbath,  i 428 

Condemnation  of  man  under  Adam  justified 82 

extent  of  man's 90 

Conscience,  decisions  of 34 

Consequences  of  belonging  to  Christ 20 

pardon,  deliverance,  preservation 22 

assurance 24 

Conversion,  nature  of  true,  ii 378 


510  INDEX. 

PiUE 

Conversion,  a  radical  change,  ii 380 

excitement  no  proof  of 390 

consummated   in  lieaven 390 

Creation  of  heaven  and  earth,  i 223 

Creed,  the,  error  concerning  the  origin  of 178 

encomium  on  the,  by  St.  Augustine 179 

the,  divided  into  three  parts _ 179 

fundamental  doctrine  of  the 182 

history  of  the,  ii 55 

Cross,  the,  why  our  Lord  was  put  to  death  on,  i 369 

Crucifixion,  nature  of 365 

Cultivation  of  Christian  love,  ii 79 

Cyprian  on  Infant  Baptism 246 

Danger  of  acting  from  impulse,  ii.  .• 407 

of  making  dogmas  and  decrees  of  men  our  rule  of  obedience. .  407 

Day  of  bread , 285 

of  judgment  fixed 13 

Decrees  of  the  Council  of  Trent 326 

Descent  into  hell,  i 395 

not  found  as  a  separate  article  of  the  earlier  creeds. .  396 

nevertheless  a  scriptural  fact 397 

Design  of  God  in  creating  man 54 

Distinct  personality  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  ii 28 

Divinity,  true,  of  the  Holy  Ghost 21,  24 

Divine  glory  the  motive  to  good  works 405 

source  of  faith,  i 170 

Division  of  the  two  tables  of  the  la w,  ii 413 

Donatists,  the 65 

Drew  on  the  resurrection  of  the  body 115 

Dun  Scotus  an  opponent  of  transubstantiation 343 

Duration  of  animated  existence 131 

Engrafting  into  Christ,  i 160 

Enjoyment  of  God's  favor,  ii ., 131 

Essence  of  idolatry,  i 191 

Essential  parts  of  genuine  faith 163 

Eternal  rest,  ii 497 

Everlasting  punishment,  i 92 

Examination  of  texts  on  the  descent  into  hell 405 

Faith,  nature  of  true,  i 155,  162 

saving,  ii 159 

is  the  personal  application  of  the  gospel,  i 169 

the  method  of  engraft ment  into  Christ 161 


INDEX.  511 

PAGE 

Faith  unites  us  to  Christ,  i .  ,  173 

in  God  the  Father 213 

in  Christ  necessary 156 

to  be  estimated  by  the  effect  on  our  hearts  and  lives,  ii 373 

proved  by  our  desire  that  otiiers  sliould  glorify  God 37-4: 

from  the  Holy  Ghost  through  the  Word  and  the  Sacraments. . . .  185 

wrduglit  in  the  heart  by  the  Holy  Ghost 189 

source  of 186 

Fall  of  man,  i 32 

Fear  or  reverence  due  to  God,  ii 435 

First  commandment,  the 425 

Forgiveness  of  sins 81 

nature  of 82 

etymology  of 84 

means  of 87 

extent  of 92 

Seneca  on 85 

Four  great  councils  of  the  Church  defined  and  established  the  divinity 

and  humanity  of  Christ,  i 343 

i'ree-will 81 

French  school  of  Infidels,  ii 445 

Ghost,  et3nnology  of  the  word,  ii 25 

Glory  of  God,  i 56 

Glorifying  God  a  principal  part  of  future  blessedness,  ii 139 

God,  meaning  of  the  word,  i 182,  216 

the  Sovereign  Ruler 33 

the  Father  Almighty,  Maker  of  heaven  and  earth,  title  analyzed.  216 

why  called  the  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ 219 

why  called  the  Father  of  his  intelligent  creatures 220 

supreme  acknowledgment  of,  ii 428 

our  obligations  to 400 

Good  works  cannot  save  us,  i 101 

necessity  of,  ii , 368 

nature  of 396 

cannot  be  part  of  our  righteousness  before  God. 169 

defined 402 

performed  according  to  the  law  of  God 403 

Gospel,  the 190 

sacraments  confirm  the 191 

Grace  of  God,  renewing 368 

not  a  mere  impulse  or  force 371 

Hall,  Bishop,  on  the  resurrection,  i 437,  441 

Hebrew  wfirds  (jchenna,  slicol^  neplieah    399 


512  INDEX. 

PAGE 

Heidelberg,  Luther  at,  i 5 

ecclesiastical  council  at G 

Hell,  meaning  of  the  word 398 

Holy  Ghost,  divinit}'  of,  ii 21,  34 

name 24 

personal  properties  ascribed  to  the 30 

personal  acts  ascribed  to  the 31 

official  work  of 3fi 

benefits  to  believers  conferred  by  the  peisonal  agency  of 

the 36 

operations  of  the,  extraordinary  and  ordinary 37 

the  work  of  the,  on  those  who  are  saved 38 

Christ  and  all  his  benefits  applied  by  the,  38;  religious 

comfort,  47;  eternal  indwelling 50 

sent  as  a  proof  of  Christ's  ascension,  i 466 

Human  depravity,  its  origin 53 

not  from  God 54 

from  man  himself 62 

Humiliation  unto  death,  our  Lord's 377 

Hypotheses  of  geologists  contradictory 226 

Idolatry,  what  is,  ii 440 

origin  and  history  of 443 

Immediate  duties  we  owe  to  God,  are  right  knowledge  of  him,  trust  in 
him,  433;  heartfelt  love  to  him,  434;  reverence,  435;   and  entire 

consecration  to  his  service 436 

Imputation 91,  154 

Incarnation  of  Christ,  i 833 

fable  of  Romanists  concerning  the 337 

Incarnation,  reasons  for  the 343 

Incorporation  of  the  believer  with  the  body  of  Christ,  ii 303 

Individuality  of  each  sinner  at  the  judgment 12 

Intimate  relations  of  body  and  soul,  i 90 

Introductory  remarks 3 

Invocation  of  saints  or  other  creatures,  ii 439 

Trenffius  on  Inf;int  Baptism 246 

Irrational  doctrine  of  chance,  i 184 

Jesus  the  name,  i 147,  261,  262 

etymology  and  significance  of  the  word 264 

nature  of  salvation  by 268 

method  of  salvation  by 272 

Jesus  Christ,  the  society  of 290 

Jewell,  bishop,  quoted,  ii 190 

Jewish  belief  in  three  heavens,  i 225 


INDEX.  513 

PAGE 

Judgment  by  Christ,  ii 7 

Justice  of  God  satisfied  by  the  righteousness  of  Jesus,  i 107-112 

Justification  by  faith 149 

makes  us  righteous  before  God 150 

frees  us  from  all  penalties,  and  entitles  us  to  all 

rewards 153 

Justin  Martyr's  argument  for  tlie  resurrection  of  the  body,  ii 100 

Martyr  on  early  discipleship 245 

Keys  which  open  and  shut  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  ii 360 

of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  are  the  preaching  of  the  gospel,  and 

Christian  discipline 360 

Knowledge  of  our  misery,  i 31 

Law  of  God  the  test  of  our  condition,  i 32 

a  perfect  legislation 37 

unchangeable 77 

Likeness  of  man  to  God  threefold :  —  in  understanding,  59 ;  in  affec- 
tion, 59 ;  in  will 60 

Life  everlasting,  ii 125 

is  perfect  salvation 132 

the  earnest  of,  in  the  heart  of  a  Christian 140 

Life,  three  uses  of  the  term 127 

Lord,  our,  an  epithet  of  authority,  i 146 

Lord's  table  not  an  altar,  ii 283 

Love  to  God,  strength  of  true 387 

produces  joy 388 

includes  love  to  man •. .  421 

comprehends  fidelity  and  obedience,  i 41 

Man  cannot  satisfy  divine  justice,  i 103 

Man's  inability  to  fulfil  the  law 44 

moral  creation 58 

substitute  must  be  very  man 121 

must  be  very  God,  i.  128 ;  ii 158 

Mass,  Popish,  ii 282 

etymology  of  the  word 325 

Meaning  of  the  phrase  "  he  sitteth  on  the  right  hand  of  God,"  i 473 

Mediator,  qualities  of  the 119 

necessity  of  a 99 

provision  of  a 39 

our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  the 140 

Jesus  the  human  name  of  the 147 

Men  governed  by  men,  ii 7 

Mercy  of  God,  i 114 

VOL.  II.  33 


514  INDEX. 

PASS 

Merit  of  Christ's  suflferings,  i 360 

Method  of  the  j  udgment,  ii 14 

by  which  Christians  attain  a  knowledge  of  the  comfort  given 

by  belonging  to  Christ,  i 26 

Morality 79 

Mortification  of  the  old  man,  ii 383 

Nature  of  the  soul,  ii 129 

New  sense  of  the  Divine  Word 143 

No  merit  in  faith 161 

Nominalists 397 

Opinion  of  Jews  and  Mohammedans  on  the  resurrection  of  the  body,  ii.  115 

Origen  on  baptism 246 

his  heresy  on  the  resurrection  of  the  body 103 

Paley,  Archdeacon,  error  of,  ii 422 

Particularity  of  Providence,  i 249 

Passover  explained,  ii 265 

Pelaguis 247 

Perpetuity  of  the  law 422 

Person  of  the  judge 15 

Peter  de  Bruis 248 

Peter,  St.,  bishop  of  Rome,  doubtful  if 350 

if  a  rock  on  which  Christ  built  his  church 351 

prerogatives  of,  given  to  all  the  apostles  in  coniuiou 351 

Philo  quoted 413 

Plato  011  the  duty  of  worship 429 

Plato's  just  man,  i 368 

Pontius  Pilate 362 

Popes,  bishops,  and  priests  have  not  miraculous  energy,  ii 352 

Popish  error  refuted 329 

Power  of  the  keys 347 

Prayer  made  acceptable  through  the  advocacy  of  Christ,  i 463 

Privileges  of  adoption 229 

Proof  that  the  decalogue  is  binding  upon  us,  ii 414 

Properties  of  saving  faith 175 

Prophet,  meaning  of  the  word,  i 297 

Profane  swearing,  ii 459 

Profanity  leads  to  perjury 471 

trifling  with  divine  names  is 463 

wanton  use  of  scriptural  expressions  is 464 

a  sin  against  knowledge 467 

a  sin  without  temptation 468 

Providence  of  God,  i 237 


INDEX.  515 

PAGE 

Providence,  etymology  of  the  word,  i 238 

fact  of. . .". 239 

extent  of 247 

objections  against,  confuted 252 

practical  lessons  deduced  from 254 

agrees  with  God's  word 76 

only  partially  explains  the  will  of  God : 34 

Quickening  of  the  new  man,  ii 386 

Reliance  upon  the  Word  and  Spirit  of  God  for  the  vindication  and  en- 
forcement of  the  Sabbath,  ii 505 

Requirements  of  God  from  angelic  spirits  and  from  human  beings,  dif- 
ferent, i 124 

Reward  promised  to  good  Avorks  solely  of  the  grace  of  God 173 

Rest  from  labor  not  the  rest  of  the  Sabbath 488 

Resurrection  of  Christ 419 

difference  in  the  corporal  life  of  Christ  before  and  after 

his 422 

witnesses  of  the 432,  433 

of  Christ  assures  us  of  justification 437 

assures  us  of  sanctification 442 

assures  us  of  our  final  and  full  glorification 445 

of  the  body,  ii 97 

purely  a  scriptural  doctrine 99 

Pliny,  Celsus,  Julian,  deny  the 100 

not  a  new  creation 113 

reason  for  the 105 

manner  of  the 108 

of  our  identical  bodies 113 

great  joy  to  the  believer 120 

Revelation  concerning  the  Sabbath 492 

Rule  of  right  conduct 396 

Sabbath,  purpose  of  the,  ii 477 

coeval  with  creation 483 

hallowed  by  God 484 

made  a  blessing 485 

introduced  by  the  example  of  God 487 

laid  at  the  foundation  of  human  morals 488 

proper  example  of  honoring  the 506 

appointed  for  the  spiritual  benefit  of  man 485 

saved  from  profanation  bj-  the  gospel 502 

connection  of  the,  with  the  resurrection  of  the  Lord  of  the 
Sabbath,  i 428 


516  INDEX. 

PAGE 

Sacrament  of  the  Supper,  ii 263 

institution  of  the 265 

mode  of  the 270 

pure  wine  important  to  the 271 

the  formula  of  the 273 

the  action  of  the 277 

the  posture  at  the 279 

times  of  observance  of  the 285 

purpose  of  the 19-1,  292 

use  Christians  are  to  malie  of  the 311 

"*  partaken  of  for  the  good  of  their. own  souls  and  the  glory 

of  God 313 

mark  of  distinction  between  Christians  and  the  world 314 

etFects  of  a  faithful  partaking  of  the 319 

the,  cannot  be  a  sacrifice 339 

Salvation  all  of  grace,  i 162 

School  of  Thomists,  or  realists 397 

Scotists  or  nominalists 397 

Seeker,  archbishop,  quoted,  ii 66,  67,  70 

Sentence  passed  upon  fallen  man,  i 83 

Sincere  joy  of  heart  in  God,  ii 386 

Sin,  etymology  of  the  word 82 

punishment  of,  i 73 

death  the  punishment  of. 68 

cannot  be  atoned  for  by  sorrow 104 

Soothsaying,  sorcery,  superstition 438 

Sovereignty  of  God,  judgment  an  attribute  of  the,  ii 10 

Soul  and  body  after  this  life 101, 103 

Strength  for  the  Christian  life  derived  from  our  Lord's  exaltation,  i.. .  487 

Spirit  Holy,  poured  out  after  the  ascension 482 

Spiritualism,  ii 439 

Ten  commandments,  ii 409 

Tertullian  on  Infant  Baptism 246 

on  the  merits  of  Christ's  sufferings,  i 360 

Testimony  to  the  fact  of  our  Lord's  ascension 454 

Thankfulness,  ii 365 

Thomists 397 

Theory  of  the  Bible  corroborated  by  history 452 

Transubstantiation 333 

Trinity,  doctrine  of  the,  i 195 

Turretin  quoted,  ii 414 

Unction  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  i 296 

Unitarian  error  confuted 204 


INDEX.  517 

PAGE 

Unit}'  of  God  defined,  i 187 

of  the  law  of  God,  ii 419 

Union  of  Christ,  and  the  believer  characterized,  i 20 

Ursinus  on  the  Decalogue,  ii 419 

on  Baptism 227 

Variety  of  theological  opinions  concerning  the  descent  into  hell,  i.  . . .  401 
Vital  principle,  the,  ii 127 

Waterland,  Dr.,  quoted,  i 201 

Walchius,  a  famous  Lutheran,  ii 414 

Webster,  Daniel,  saying  of,  i 207 

Westminster  assembh',  ii 57,  83,  227 

Will  of  God " 398 

Wisdom  of  our  Lord  in  the  selection  of  the  sacramental  signs  and  seals  208 

Witsius  quoted,  i.  396,  456,  4G4;  ii 57 

World  the,  judged  by  God,  ii ^ 9 


TABLE   OF    REFERENCES* 


Vol.      Page 

Genesis  i.  2 ii 31 

ii.  2,  3 ii 479 

ii.  15;  iii.  1 i 63 

iii.  15 ii 190 

V.  3 i 65 

xvi.  10 ii 192 

xvii.  7 ii 250 

xvii.  9,  10 ii 196 

XXXV.  2 ii 238 

Exodus  iv.  25,  26 ii 209 

xii.  22 ii 239 

xii.  24 ii 197 

xiv.  19,  20 ii 233 

xvi.  22,29.- ii 492 

xix.  10 ii 238 

XX.  1-17;  XX.  7  ..ii.  412,461 

xxiii.  20-23 i 265 

xxiv.  18 i 455 

xxiv.  5-8 ii 210 

xxiv.  3,  8 ii 416 

xxiv.  8 ii 239 

XXX.  30 i 291 

xxxii.  4,  5 ii 431 

xxxii.  19 ii 412 

xxxi  v.  1 ii 412 

xxxix i 291 

Leviticus  viii i 291 

xii.  2,  4,  6 i 456 

xiv.  6,  7-51 ii 239 

xvi.  16 ii 213 

xvii.  11 ii 212 

xix.  18 i 37 

xix.  28 i 399 

xix.  18,34 ii 413 

xxiii.  10,  11  .  ...ii 380 

Numbers  vi.  6 i 400 

X.  34 ii 233 

xi.  20 i 309 

xiii.  16 i 265 

xiv.  14 ii 233 

xix.  6-21 ii 239 

Deuteronomy  v.  6,  21;  v.  22;  x. 

1,  4.  ...ii 412 


Vol.      Page 

Deuteronomy  v.  15 ii 483 

vi.  5 i 37 

xxvii.  26... ii 171 

xxix.  10-15 .  ii 254 

1  Kings  xix.  5-12 i 455 

Job  XXV.  4 ii 140 

Psalms  ii.  6 i 292 

viii.  5,  6 i 306 

xvi.  9,  10,  11 i 397 

xviii.  9 i 458 

xxii.  16 i 367 

xxxii.  2 ii 157 

11.  7 ii 239 

Ixviii.  18 i 413 

Ixviii.  18 i 455 

Ixxvi.  10 i 55 

xcv.  8-11 ii 34 

cxvi.  13 ii 267 

cxix.  18 ii 189 

Proverbs  xvi.  4 i 55 

Isaiah  vi.  8,  9 ii 34 

XXV.  6 ii 271 

XXXV.  10 ii 140 

xliii.  25 ii 86 

xliv.  3 ii 215 

Iii.  15 ii 240 

l.xi.  1....; ii 232 

Ixi.  1 i 291 

Ixi.  1-3..'; i 296 

Ixiv.  4 ii 126 

Jeremiah  xxxi.  34 ii 85 

Ezekiel  xxxvi.  25,  27 ii 215 

xxxvi.  25,26 ii 240 

Daniel  V.  12 ii 25 

vi.  3 ii 25 

Hosea  xiii.  14 i 414 

Joel  ii.  28-32 ii 232 

ii.  28 !. ii 216 

Zechariah  xiii.  1 ii 241 

Matthew  i.  21 i 267 

iii.  16 ii 232 

v.  12 ii 174 


*  This  Table  does  not  include  all  the  texts  quoted  in  these  volumes,  but  those 
only  who.<;e  references  are  given. 


TABLE   OF  REFERENCES. 


519 


Vol.      Page 

Matthew  vi.  20 ii 174 

vii.  12 ii 43 

vii.  27 ii 173 

viii.  17 ii 58 

X.  42 ii 173 

xii.  31,  32 ii 30 

xvi.  18 ii 58 

xvi.  18,  19 ii 349 

xvii.  5 i 458 

xviii.  15,21 ii.....  84 

xviii.  15-20 ii 353 

xxii.  37-40 i 36 

xxii.  37-40 ii 412 

XXV.  31-46 ii 157 

XXV.  31-46 ii 173 

xxvii.  50 ii 24 

xxviii.  19 ii 205 

xxviii.  19 ii 245 

xxviii.  20 ii 206 

Mark  ii.  27,28 ii 479 

vii.  1-4 ii 230 

vii.  7 ii 191 

ix.  31 i 426 

ix.  33 ii 354 

X.  6 ii 250 

xiv.  62 i 318 

xvi.  16 ii 207 

xvi.  16 ii 220 

Luke  i.  35 ii 35 

i.  74,  75 ii 176 

ii.  22 i 456 

iii.  16 ii 205 

iii.  16 ii 214 

iii.  22 ii 33 

iii.  38 i 131 

vi.  27 ii 84 

ix.  46 ii 354 

X.  27 i 36 

xvii.  3,  4 ii 82 

xxii.  24-30 ii 354 

xxiii.  43 i 408 

xxiii.  46 ii 24 

xxiv.  25,  27 ii 190 

xxiv.  46-48 i 430 

xxiv.  50,  51 i 456 

Johni.  33 i 296 

i.  12 ii 211 

iii.  3 ii 32 

iii.  5,  7 ii 214 

iii.  18 ii 154 

iii.  23 ii 236 

vi.  53-57 ii...    .332 

vii.  9 i 458 

xi.  18 i 456 

xi.  25 ii 25 

xiii.  12,17 ii 354 


Vol.       Page 

John  xiv.  16 ii 33 

xiv.  26 ii 30 

XV.  1-5 ii 176 

XV.  26 ii 188 

XV.  5 ii 175 


XV.  1-8 1.. 

xvi.  8 ii.. 

xvii.  17 »•• 

xviii.  37 ii-- 

xix.  -30 ii-. 

XX.  21,  23 ii.. 

Actsi.  13,  14 i.. 

i.  9 i-. 

i.  12 i-- 

i.  69 i-- 

ii.  23,  24-32 i.. 

ii.  24 i-. 

ii.  33 i-- 

ii.  2,  4 ii-. 

ii.  15 ii-. 

ii.  38,  39 ii-. 

ii.  39 ii-. 

ii.  38 ii.. 

ii.  44,  45  ..-. ii.. 

ii.  33 ii-. 

iii.l ii-- 

iv.  27 1-. 

V.  3,  4 li-- 

vi.  24 ii-- 

vii.  51 ii-- 

vii.  51 li-- 

vii.  23 '}'}■■ 

viii "■  • 

viii.  39 ii-- 

viii.  36,  38 


..160 
..188 
..191 
..58 
..  24 
,..351 
...454 
...458 
. . .456 
...456 
...397 
...413 
...455 
. . .232 
. . .236 
...215 
...253 
...207 
...270 
...188 
. . .236 
...363 
...35 
. . .207 
...31 
...34 
. . .282 
. . .237 
...31 
...205 


/iii.  27-38 ii 207 

ix.  1-17 i 454 

ix.  18 ii 207 

X.47 ii 237 

X   11     ii 352 

X    47     ii 205 

xi.  26 i 307 

xi.  13,  14 ii 254 

xiii.  24 ii 31 

xiii.  35,  37 i 401 

XV.  9 ii 372 

xvi.  33 ii 237 

xvii.  31 II 7 

xix.  1-5 ii 215 


XX.   1 

XX.  28 

xxii.  16 

..355 
..219 
..   34 
..109 
..  32 
..431 

xxviii.  25 

ans  i.  4 

i.4 

i.  20-23 

520 


TABLE   OF  REFERENCES. 


Vol.       Page 

Romans  ii.  6-11 ii 3G6 

iii.  10 ii 152 

iii.  20 ii 152 

iii.  21-28 ii 154 

iii.  19-26 ii 88 

iii.  28 ii 179 

iv.  6 ii 157 

iv.  11 ii 216 

V.  12-18 i 65 

V.  19 ii 158 

vi.  4 ii 109 

vi.  4 ii 235 

vii.  9 ii 154 

vii.l3 ii 382 

viii.  14-17 ii 32 

viii.  33,  34 ii 151 

X.  6 ii 160 

xi.  7 ii 152 

xi.  17-24 i 160 

xii.  1 ii 151 

xii.  1 ii 240 

xiii.  10 i 37 

xiv.  18 ii 67 

XV.  13.... ii 30 

XV.  30 ii 30 

xix.  12 ii 30 

ICor.  i.  21 ii 190 

i.  13,  16 ii 207 

i.  2,  3 ii 59 

i.  28 i 224 

i.  30 i 149 

ii.  9 ii 126 

ii.  10,  11 ii 30 

ii.  14 ii 187 

ii.  14 ii 381 

iii.  16 ii 32 

V.  1-5 ii 354 

V.  7,  8 ii 270 

vi.  11 ii 214 

vi.  20 ii 240 

vi.  11 ii 32 

vi.  20 ii 240 

vii.  14 ii 255 

viii.  5.  6 ii 429 

X.  1.. ii 233 

X.  16 ii 268 

X.  21 ii 268 

xi.  20 ii 268 

xi.  26 ii 197 

xi.  23-26 ii 267 

xii.  3 ii 59 

xii.  4-11 ii 30 

xii.  13 ii 213 

xii.  3 ii 186 

XV i 325 

■     XV i 424 


Vol.      Page 

1  Cor.  XV.  21-45 i 66 

XV.  42-49 i 458 

XV.  45 ii 32 

XV.  24 ii 110 

XV.  35,44 ii 116 

XV.  51,52 ii 110 

XV.  55 i 399 

2  Cor.  iv.  6 ii 189 

V.  11 ii 188 

V.  20 ii 226 

V.  5-8 i 410 

xi.  5 ii 352 

xii.  4 i 408 

Galatians  i.  17,  18 ii 207 

ii.  8-17 ii 415 

ii.  21 ii 154 

ii.  21 ii 169 

ii.  7-10 ii 350 

ii.  11 ii 352 

iii.  27 ii 235 

iii.  9 ii 255 

iii.  27 ii 207 

iii.  8 ii 190 

iii.  15 ii 190 

iii.  10 ii 171 

V.  22,  23 ii 214 

V.  6 ii 372 

Ephesians  i.  20 ii 32 

1.7 ii 82 

i.lS ii 189 

i.  13,  14 ii 214 

1.  20 ii 109 

i.  19-23 i 443 

ii.  1 ii 32 

ii.  11-19 ii 59 

ii.  18 ii 33 

ii.  1 ii 82 

ii.  20 ii 176 

ii.  8 ii 185 

ii.  18 ii 213 

ii.  18 ii.  ...216 

ii.  6,7 .ii 443 

ii.  5 ii 82 

ii.l ii 175 

ii.  20 ii 351 

iv.  9 i 402 

iv.  9 i 409 

iv.  8-10 i 414 

iv.  23,24 i 60 

iv.  7,  8 ii 455 

iv.  15,  16 ii 307 

iv.  22,  24 ii 381 

iv.  18 ii 175 

iv.  13 ii 75 

iv.  30 ii 31 

v.  30 ii 176 


TABLE  OF  REFERENCES. 


521 


Vol.      Page 

Ephesians  v.  8 ii 175 

vi.  17 ii 189 

Philippians  i.  21-23 ii 410 

ii.  13,18 ii 175 

iii.  21 i 458 

iii.  9 ii 152 

Colossians  i.  13 ii 82 

ii.  12 ii 235 

ii.  19 ii 307 

ii.  8. ;....ii 191 

iii.  5 ii 382 

iii.  9,  10 ii 60 

IThess.  iv.  15,17 ii 110 

1  Tim.  i.  5 i 37 

i.  15 ii 154 

V.  16 i 458 

2TinQ.  iii.  16 ii 35 

iii.  15,  10,  17 ii 191 

Titus  iii.  5 ii 212 

iii.  5 ii 219 

Hebrews  i.  1 ;  ii.  5-9 i 300 

iv.  9-11 ii 479 

iv.  14..' i 457 

ix.  10 ii 209 

ix.  10-14 ii 230 

ix.  14 ii 32 

ix.  18-22 ii 239 

ix.  22 ii 212 

X.  12-19,20 i 457 

X.  22 ii 240 

X.  29 i 439 

X.  29 ii 293 

xi.  7 ii 160 

xi.  26 ii 174 

xi.  35 ii 104 


Vol.      Page 

Hebrews  xii.  1,  2  ii 174 

xii.  2 ii 186 

xii.  24 ii 240 

xiii.  20 ii 293 

James  ii.  10 ii 171 

ii.  24 ii 179 

1  Peter  i.  23 ii 381 

i.  2 ii 240 

i.  23;  i.  3 ii 189 

ii.  5 ii 176 

iii.  21 ii 209 

iii.  18 ii 32 

iii.  18,  19 i 408 

iii.  21 ii 221 

iii.  20,  21 ii 234 

iii.  19,  20 i 142 

iii.  18,  19 ii 190 

iv.  16 : i 396 

2  Peter  i.  21 ii 35 

ii.  5 i 142 

1  Johai.  10 i 427 

iv.  16 i 37 

iv.  21 i 37 

V.  5 ii 372 

Revelation  i.  13-18 i 455 

ii.  7 i 408 

iii.  21 i 410 

vii.  14 ii  ...  .174 

vii.  19 i 410 

xii.  9 i 63 

xiv.  13 ii 174 

XX.  4,  5,  6 i Ill 

xxi.  14 ii 351 

xxii.  1,  2 i 409 

xxii.  14 ii 58 


I 


ON    THE 

CATECHISM. 


*  Translated  into  German.        f  A  German  title  to  a  Holland  Writer. 
I  A  Holland  Translation. 


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Bekker  (Baltli.).    Heidelberg  Catechism  for  the  Memory  of  Youth 

produced  iu  Rhyme.     1665. 
Bekker  (Balth  ).    Provision  for  the  Spiritual  Growth  of  the  Youth 

of  the  Reformed  Netherland  Church.     1668.     8vo. 
Bekker  (Balth.).     Vaste  Spyse  der  Volmaakten.     Leuw.   1670- 

72.  Aaist.  J682.  8vo. 
Bois  (Gualt.  du).  Kort-Begryp  der  Waare  Christelyke  Leere,  Uit 
den  Heidelbergschen  Catechismus  uitgetrokkeii,  door  ordre  der 
Christelyke  Syiiode  te  Dordrecht,  Anno  1618  en  1619,  M-^-.t 
Eenige  verklaaringe  over  elke  Vraage  verrykt,  voor  den 
Leer-lievenden  en  Begeerigen  tot  's  Heeren  H.  Avondmaal. 
t'Zamengestelt  door  Gualtherus  du  Bois,  Bedienaar  des 
Godlyken  Woords,  in  de  Nederduitsche  Gereformeerde  Ge- 
meente  ter  Stede  Nikuw-York  in  America.  En  in  de  zelve 
ingevoert  door  Ordre  der  zelve  E.  Kerken-Raad.  Voor  heeu 
te  N.  York  meer  dan  eens  Gedrukt.  —  Gedrukt  t' Amster- 
dam, Te  Bekomen  by  Jacobus  Goelet,  tot  Nieuw-York. 
l"2mo,  pp.  66. 

(As  this  was  probably  the  first  American  contribution  to 
the  literature  of  the  Catechism,  the  title  is  given  entire. 
The  title-page  bears  no  date  ;  but  at  the  end  of  a  short 
introduction  to  the  work  occurs  the  following :  — 
'■'•Aldus  gegeven  in  Nieuw-York  den  24.  April  1706. 
V.  Antonides, 

Eccl.  in  Midwoud,  Sfc. 
Henricus  Beys, 

V.  D.  M.  in  Kingstowne") 
Bouck  (Engelb.  Franc,  de).     Explicatio   Catecheseos  Heidelber- 

gensis.     Hag.   1741.    4to. 
Bouma   (Gellius  de).      Vermerdeerde    Clu-istelijke   Catechismus. 

Doct,  1658.    12mo.* 
Bouma  (Gellius  de).     Catechesis  Religionis  Reformatae  Analysi 

illustrata.     Zutph.  1651.     8vo.     . 
Brandii  Willemsonii  (Henr.).     Analysis  in  Catechesin  Rehgionis 

Christianae.  Lugd.  Bat.  1605.  8vo. 
Breukland  (Jac).  Verhandeling  van  de  Leer  des  Genade-Ver- 
bonds  na  den  draad  des  Heidelbergschen  Catechismus.  Midd. 
1711.  8vo. 
Broessken  (Conr.).  The  Heidelberg  Catechism,  with  an  analysis 
by  which  the  strong  meat  is  reduced  to  milk.  Manheim,  about 
1700. 


526  BIBLIOGRAPHICAL   LIST   OF 

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bergschen  Catcchismum.     1691.     12mo. 
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der  christlichen  Religion.     Bremen,  1 769.     8vo. 
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ex  S.    Scriptura   explicata   et   ilbistrata.      Lugd.   Bat.    1671. 

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ex  S.  Scriptura  explicata  et  illustrata.     Vertaald  door  Abri 

Van  Foot.     Avast.  1673.     .4 to. 
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8vo. 
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Catecbismus.     1583. 
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Heidelbergiscben  Catecbismum.     Neustadt,  1585.    8vo. 
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Heidelbergensis.     Coin,  1621.     8vo. 
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tecbismus Veruncalvinisiret   und   in   Rcimiscb-Catboliscb  be- 

kebrt.     Heid.  1624.     12mo. 
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tbe  Catecbism.     Amst.  1671.     4to. 
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volgens  de  order  van  den  Heidelbergscben  Catecbismus.    Rott. 

1698.     8vo. 
Diestii  (Henr.).     Epitome  Catecbeticai'um  explicationum  Ursino- 

Paraeanarum      Harderv.  1633.     8vo. 
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Diestii  (Henr.).     Condones  in  LH  Dominicas  Catecbismi  Heidel- 
bergensis.    Arn.  1670.     4to. 
Driessen  (Ant.).     Ad  Catecbesin  Heidelbergensem  metbodice  et 

apodietice  dilucidandam  Manuductio.     Gron.  1724.    4to. 
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bergensi  oppositus.     Antw.  1594. 
'Enfant  (Jac.  1').     L'innocence  du  Catecbisme  de  Heidelberg  de- 

montree  contre  deux  libelles  d'un  Jesuite  du  Palatinat.    Amst. 

1723.     8vo. 


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Fabricii  (Tob.).     Erklarung  des  Pfaltzischen  Catechismi.     Neust. 

1586.    8vo. 
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Catechismi.     Leipz.  1720.     &vo. 
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infestandi  Lutheranos,  placidae  disquisitioni  subjecta.  Wittenb. 

4to. 
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bergschen  Catechismus.     Utr.  1783-86.     8vo. 
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8vo. 
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beknoptelijk  uyt  de  Heidelbergsche  Catechismus  aangewesen. 

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Oleviani.     1563. 

Gargon  (Matth.).     Eenige  Troost,  of  Heidelbergsche  Catechismus 

geopend  en  betoond.     Leid.  1713.    4to. 
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1692.     8vo. 
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Catechismus.*     Gorichem,  1679.     Leid.  1698.    4to. 
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Hoofdgronden  des  Christelijke  geloofs.     Enkh.  1698.    12mo. 
Hagen  (Pet.  van   der).     De   Heidelbergsche   Catechismus   ver- 

klaard.*     Amst.  1676.     4to. 
/7o^-DOor<  (Barend.).     Schole  van  Christus.     Amst.  1693.     8vo. 
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uytgebreyd  en  verklaard.     Amst.  1715.     8vo. 
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mum.     Francf.  1684.     4to. 
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Heidelbergzen  Catechismus.     Amst.  1692.    8vo. 
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Kerken,  in  haar  Waarheid  bevestigd,  met  de  Getuygnissen  der 
Oud-Vaderen.     Rotterd.  165  7.     8vo. 

Heussenius  (Nikol.).  Gebedeu  over  den  Catecliismus.  Leid. 
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Honert  (Joh.  van  den).  Vertoog  van  den  Schakel  der  Evangeli- 
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